


A New Start

by torto123



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Deviates From Canon, Eventual Smut, F/F, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Original Character(s), Science Fiction & Fantasy, Supernatural Elements, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-21
Updated: 2019-04-30
Packaged: 2019-11-01 03:39:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 24,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17859554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/torto123/pseuds/torto123
Summary: Max couldn't fulfill Chloe's wish to let her die in a dirty bathroom, by the hands of a freaking psycho. So she goes through the photo, and try it all again, maybe if she do something different, things will turn out ok in the end. It doesn't. So she try again. And again. And again. All to no avail.Then, she had enough. As she breaks through her own limitations, she realizes that not everything is as it seems, and maybe the world isn't out to get her.Well...Not yet.





	1. (...)(Re-)(Re-)Re-Start

**BOOM**

Lightning flashed across the sky, with each booming branch painting everything white as far as the eye could see, a stinging rain that felt like frozen needles crashing in the skin attempted to drown everything in its path and a wind so cold that it seemed to freeze the very soul.

**BOOM**

A massive tornado that was growing angrier by the minute blocked half the horizon, winning the fight against the shores of Arcadia Bay.

**BOOM**

But still, towered by the lighthouse and backgrounded by all of this, two lost souls stood strong atop the cliff, their minds too concerned to care about everything else.

"Max, you have to go back and make things right. Y-You... have to let me go." Said Chloe Price, holding back tears, but with iron resolution in her eyes.

"C-Chloe! I... I absolutely can't do something like that, I-" Responded Max Caulfield, tears cascading freely from her face.

"No, Max," she interruped her sobbing friend, "You're the only one who can. This is the only way, I can't just watch the whole town go to shit because of me!"

"But you-" Max pleaded.

"Yeah Max, I know what I said, but I was just being the asshole that I grew used to be. Joy-... Mom. Your friends. Even fucking stepdi-... Even fucking David don't deserve... **this**." She said, pointing to the huge maws that were beginning to eat everything that tried to stand in its way.

"Yeah Chloe, no one deserves that," she tried to change her friend's mind, "But no one deserves to bleed out in a dirty bathroom too! By the hands of that psycho, no less."

"Max, please, this is what I want. Look, you came back, and you fucking bended time over and over again to save my ass," Chloe said, starting no lose control over her tears, "And I'm so grateful for that, y'know? Despite all the shit that hit the fan, you made this week one the best weeks I had in a really, really long time. And now I have to let you go. And you have to let me go. And Max?

"W-What?" She managed to say, now already gripping the photo tightly.

"Don't you dare forget abou-" Suddenly, she notices a shift in Max's expression, "What the fuck?"

Out of nowhere Max's crying face transformed in the weirdest smile Chloe had ever seem. It was a smile so full of anger, sadness and despair. So full of love. So full of lost memories of happy times that never happened. But above all else, it was a smile full of determination.

"Max?! Wha-... You-..."

Max looked up, her nose starting to bleed

"Just... how many times?" Was all Chloe could ask.

" **Not. Enough.** " Max says, voice steady, as she try to focus on the photo.

"Wait! Max! W-Why? Why are you doing this? You're suffering, that's clear as day!" Chloe asks, trying to figure out why exactly Max can't just let her go already, "Well, not this exact day, but you get it." She tries to crack a joke to ease the mood, even if a little. She fails horribly.

"Because I love you, and I just can't fucking live without you, Chloe Price." She answers, matter-of-factly, like this was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yeah, I know yo-" The blue haired girls starts, then she realizes, "Wait, **what**?"

"I said I love you."

"I know what you said, Max," Her heart starts to beat faster, "B-But you can't just say stuff like that!"

"And why the hell not? It took me long enough to realize, and many, many different timelines, but you know what is always the same? You. You and my love for you."

"You can't just play with my feelings like that, Max."

"This is how things are, Chloe. Maybe it's selfish or whatever, but it doesn't matter. The thing I know is that I-"

"I love you too." Chloe manage to state.

"...What?" Now it was Max's turn to be flabbergasted.

"I love you too, Max. Always had. Even when I wanted to be mad at you, I was mad at me because I couldn't be mad at you. Deep down, I always knew that the reason to me being hurt so much when you left is not because I lost my best friend. Not even because I needed support because of my dad's death. The real reason, is because I lost the one that was the other half of my soul. The one I loved."

"This... Are you serious?" Max says, at a loss of words.

"I've never been more serious in my whole life, Max," Tears start to fall again, "But you don't love me."

"What the fuck are you saying now, Chloe?" She screams in so much anger that the tornado seemed to cower before her, "You can't just decide that for me! I fucking love you, alright?"

"No, you don't!" Chloe screamed, glad that the rain camouflaged her tears, "Maybe you love **some** Chloe, but not me! So just... go back... please..." Her voice starts to fade, just like her resolution.

"...You are so... **you**." Max, to Chloe's surprise, managed a chuckle, "You listen to me, dork. All the Maxes, in all the timelines, love all the Chloes. There's no other you. There's no other me. We are who are, okay. And I'm someone who's mad in love with you."

"Oh my God, Max! This... How can you possibly..." And just like that, all of her will to die was washed away by Max's words, "You're not changing your mind, are you?"

"Never."

Chloe lets a sigh, "So, what's the plan, timebutt?"

"What's the what?"

"You don't have a fucking plan?!"

"Well, usually I just go back and try things differently..." The brunette confesses.

"Yeah? How did that go for you?" The punk asks, already knowing the answer.

"...Touché." The smaller girl says, slighty embarassed, "But what's really to plan? All I can do is go back to the bathroom, and change stuff from there."

"Okay Max, what **have** you done so far?"

"Pretty much everything?" She says, "Confronting Nathan, blocking his way, attacking him,"

"You attacked him? Guy has a gun, are you crazy?"

_Crazy for you..._ "...Anyway, no matter what I do, be it with Nathan or you, things still go to shit. Sometimes things happen just like last time, sometimes you two go have your argument somewhere else, sometimes he actually shot you right there, outside the bathroom," The freckled girl explains, "There were times when I managed to make you two avoid each other altogheter, but things got bad in other ways. And, I've tried to let the tornado hit the town, I tried saving people, but... this is not an option. You... broke from guilt. I couldn't let you feel that much pain."

_Never again, Che. I'll protect you, even from yourself._

"I'm... so sorry, Max. Still, how does this photo thingy work? I tought you couldn't leave the photo's timeframe, but you're making it sound like..."

"Yeah, yeah, it started like that, but I guess I used it so much that I... got stronger? I can 'stay in the photo' now, if I want."

_So she's getting stronger? But... at what price? And all for me? Woah, pun unintended._

"Oh? I see, that's good news, right? You're getting stronger and shit." Chloe took a moment to process everything, "So, you're saying that everything from that point fowards, doesn't really matter in stoping all of this?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"And what about that point _backwards_?"

"What do you mean? I can't rewind from the photo."

"Why not? What's stopping you?"

"I mean, it feels like there's this huge wall blocking me from going further, and my head starts to hurt, and... but..."

"Buuuut?" Chloe pressed, with a grin.

"But... Holy shit, Chloe! There's nothing holding me back, is it?" Said Max, realization in her eyes.

"Don't think so, your smartass can do pretty much everything." Teased the taller girl.

"Ow, but you got a better ass.." She teased back, surprising both Chloe and herself.

They looked at each other's eyes, their flames now burning bright. Everything they felt for each other, was held there.

"So, I guess this is goodbye, Maximus?"

"Well, technically I'll see you very soon, but yeah, I think I have to try this."

There was a moment of silence, and neither of them really wanted to break it.

"Hey Max"

"Shoot"

"...I think we had enough shooting for a lifetime," the blue girl chuckled, "Just... As you said, all the Chloes love all the Maxes. Don't let her...-me wait so much."

"I won't." said the brunette, fire in her eyes.

"And be careful. If you really want to do this, your safety comes first. There's no re-start button if-... if something happens to you."

"I will."

"Promise me. Promise me you won't put yourself in danger because of me." She had to make Max say it, even though she knew well that this promise would get broken without a second thought in case she was in danger.

"I promise. For you." She had to let Chloe hear it, even though she knew that Chloe knew that she would probably break it.

"I love you, Maxine Caulfield."

"I love you, Chloe Price."

Those words, they held everything that both of them could feel, just those three words, they spoke more than a thousand. They had more feelings than both girls had felt in their entire lives. And with that, Max shifts her attention to the photo in her hands, her heart warm.  
She focused on it, noticing how everything else began to get quieter, and the photo itself louder. The butterfly, this eerie eletric-blue buttlerfly began to flap its wings, the image getting bigger, and bigger, and soon occuping her entire field of vision. And as the _swoosh_ sound she got way too familiar with got louder, the last thing she could hear from the soon-to-be-alternate-timeline was a

"I... you... please... me... fuck up... again... ax."

Everything blurred, and sunddenly, she was somewhere else. Some _when_ else.

**[@]**

* * *

_Swooosh_

As everything came together, Max found herself once again in that familiar corner of that familiar bathroom.

"Holy- Fucking- Aaaaagh," the girl had to steady herself against the wall, "I hate this feeling. One would think I shoud have been accostumed with it by now."

She looked around. Everything was the same. The painting on the middle mirror. The walls. How the fire-alarm hammer was tucked under some cleaning equipament.

The two halves of her Everyday Heroes contest photo.

"Yeah, like I'm ever going to somewhere that reminds me of Jeffershit again anyway." She said out loud, trying to quench the ping of sadness she felt. _It was my best work up till now, though..._

"Alright, Nathan Fuckscott is going to be here anytime." She said, mustering courage for what she knew would be a painful experience.

_Woah, All these Chloes are really rubbing their sassiness into me, aren't they?_

"It's now, or never"

She raised her hand, and began the rewind.

**@**

As the butterfly came back to its spot at the side of the bucket, things start to slow down.

"No, fucking hell this is all of it." she let out an angry growl.

The time-traveler gripped the air in front of her harder.

**@@@**

Everything began to get faster again, she could see the butterfly leaving by the window, and as she continued to hiss and fight the growing pain in her head, the girl saw people entering and leaving the bathroom, slightly amused by how goofy they seemed doing things backwards.

But, soon enough everything slowed to a crawl once again. But Max was done being at the mercy of whatever gave her her powers. From now on, she would make her own fucking rules.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHH" Max let a howl, a primal howl that came from the deepest depths of her soul and clenched her 'rewind-hand'.

**@@@@@@@@@**

With that, everything went faster. And faster. As the brunette's knuckles got white from the strength of her grip, she couldn't recognize anyone that walked through the door anymore.

And everything got faster.

And she heard an endless array of sounds, nothing she could recognize, all blended together. Hurting her ears.

And everything spun around her in an hypnotising mix of colors. She lost control of it.

As her head felt like exploding and her eyes rolled back towards her head, the last thing she saw was pure whiteness.

Then, a huge POP sound, followed by the sound of glass breaking.

And then, darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is it. My very first chapter, of my very first fic. I'm kinda.. excited? Scared? Oh well.  
> So hey! One and only person that's going to read this, first of all, thank you very much. Second, I don't really know where this is getting at, and in my opinion this is sorta the magic of it, huh? I **do** have some vague guidelines and endings, but nothing certain. What I **do** know is that I want this to be full of action, and powers, and adventure, and fluffiness and shit.  
> But, what I really want this amalgamate of words to be is a learning device. I want to get better at writing, and specially, I want to get better at English. I'm not a native speaker, so PLEASE point out the mistakes that are bound to happen. If you can help in ANY way, like telling me the way I'm formatting this (I don't know crap about this matter, so yeah, plz help) is not the best, I'll be grateful endlessly.  
> Also, how is the chapter length? Do I make longer ones? Shorter? As I said, I'm a noob in this field, so I need to know when do you want to stop reading my words.  
> Last, I think I'll be using some rewind symbols to make this a little more graphic...ish? For example, this @ is going to be the rewind symbol, as its... kinda like a spiral. So, if there's a bunch of @@@@, that means it's a loooong rewind, you know? Also, this [@] is rewind through photos. Well, I dunno. You tell me, should I remove it?  
> Bah, now I'm babbling, so if someone really read this, leave your comments and feedback and advice, kay?  
> Cya around.


	2. Awake

_Sigh_

Chloe Price rolled atop her bed, sighing for what seemed the hundredth time.

_Why I'm so fucking anxious? It's not like I never talked to that prick before. Granted, he had never drugged me, and I never tried to blackmail him up till now, but still..._

With another sigh, she rolled again, looking at her makeshift curtain, the American flag. She had forgotten how cool was the effect of the early sun sending its rays through it.

_Max would love this. Yeah, right, like she even remembers me by now._

She rolled once more, now fixing her gaze at the clock.

07:12

_Godamn, it's this early? And I could barely sleep this night._

"God, I need to wake n' bake"

As she picked up her hidden stash under the bed, Chloe couldn't help but notice the photo that she took with Rachel Amber, eyes getting moist.

"I'll find you Rache. Whatever it takes."

The punk rolled the blunt, and lighted it. She took a deep drag of it.

As the white smoke made its mesmerizing dance towards the ceiling, her mind began to wander.

_But where are you, exactly, Angel. Please, be safe. That's all I ask of you._

The blue haired girl attempted to put these thoughts aside with another deep drag.

_And what the hell am I going to do with Nathan today? Am I really going to let what he did go? For money?_

Another drag, another cloud of smoke.

_...But I really need it._

_Oh Max, I wish you were here. You would know what to do. But you came back and don't even texted me. I just wish-_

"No, fuck Max," she interrupted her own thoughts, "I don't fucking need her, I don't need anybody." Chloe hissed, trying to disguise her true feelings with anger.

_This is going to be another fucked up day, isn't it?_

But before she could get deeper inside her well of thoughts, her phone buzzed.

"Hm? Who's crazy enough to send a message this early?"

**Max:** Chloe! Please!

"Of course."

**Max:** Please answer me!  
**Max:** Look, you can be mad at me as much as you want later.

_Woah, she sounds desperate._

**Max:** But please, answer me as soon as you read this, okay? I'm begging you here.

_Whatever, not my problem. She hurt me, I certainly don't give a damn..._

"Oh, for fucks sake." she let out, frustated that she's actually concerned about Max."

**Chloe:** kay calm down will you? no one's dying Caulfield

* * *

Max found herself surrounded by darkness. Oddly enough, she could still see herself.

"W-Where? Where am I?" Her voice echoed amidst the shadows.

Suddenly, a straight path blinked to life, going as long ahead as the girl could see. With no other option, she took the first step through it, her small feet surprising herself with horribly loud echoes.

All of a sudden, her mind got flared by multiple images.

Memories. Memories that she somehow managed to bury.

"Gaahh." Overwhelmed, Maxine lost her balance and fell flat on her back.

"I see," she says, panting, "that's how you want to play." She took a step foward.

"Well, fuck you!" she roared, "Like I said, **I** am making my own freaking rules from now on!"

And as she took more steps foward, she was blasted by multiple Katies that she couldn't save. Inumerous Chloes that she couldn't do anything except whatching her die, rewind and try again. Warrens, Alyssas, Brookes.

"Max!"

"Max, please! Help!"

"You can't save me"

"Why did you do this?"

But the freckled girl didn't waver. She was sweating, shivering from pain, but her steps were firm, her pace, steady.

To her right Two Whale diners exploding, to her left falling birds and dying whales. Lighthouses crumbling apart. Chloe crying by Rachel's grave.

Victorias, Nathans and Jeffersons taunted her.

"Go fuck your-selfie."

"Get the fuck outta here, bitch!"

"Always take the shot."

"I'm so **sick** of people trying to **control** me!"

"Ow, now you're totally stuck in the retro-zone. Sadface."

With this display, her body winced on its on, her legs felt like giving up.

_C'mon Max, you know this isn't real. And also, you know that Victoria is not really that bad._

Gunshots, bottles breaking, screeching tires. With each step, another sound or image was added to the chaos around her.

And after what felt like days had passed, but could as well be minutes, there was nothing.

No sound, no memories, no image. Just infinite blackness, and the shimmering path before her.

But this, this was even worse. It was not the good kind of silence, the kind that happens before sleep, after a good day spent with your best friend. Not the cleansing type. It was the bad kind. The calm before a storm.

**The** storm.

**BOOM**

In front of her, wind picked up speed, above her, lighting started to crack, and around her, rain began to pour. And with a howling crescendo, there it was, seemingly bigger than before, the source of her nightmares. The tornado. It growled and sucked everything around, even though there was nothing.

_Why? Why is this happening? I never wanted these powers, okay?_ The girl droped to her knees with a **thud**. _I just want Chloe, why do you have to take her away?_ Max tought, desperate.

She looked behind her, the path was gone.

_And there's no going back?_

Then, as she was almost giving up, Max remembered something. A tuff of blue hair, the girl under it sound asleep. A bright smile. Blue eyes that she could get lost, and lost on it. Happy times, bad times, it didn't matter, she just wanted to be with her punk. A pletora of timelines filled with Chloes, filled with love.

"Screw it," Max rose up, "Nothing will stop me from seeing that smile again," she looked up, eye to eye with the storm, "Not even this stupid tornado."

One step foward.

* * *

After her twisting surroundings settled down, Max took a look around. She was in the middle of a forest, but it was way too quiet. Trees and bushes everywhere, nothing really catching her eye. Except, sitting atop a fallen trunk, a silhouette. Her... silhouette?

**So, you made it.**

"What the hell?" was the only thing Max could say, shocked.

**You have trully proven yourself, child. I-**

"No! Stop it! Why do you look like me? I'm tired of this sick games, just show your true-self already!" Max said, angry.

**...Very well.**

With a ray of shining blue light, the 'Max' in front of her dissipated into one, tiny buttlerfly.

**Hello again, Maxine.** it said, in a weird, genderless voice. Even though it was not loud, it boomed across the sky.

"Y-You! You began this?! Why? Are you enjoying playing with our lives?" Max screamed, more than furious, "And what **are** you, some sort of sadistic Time God?"

**That's incorrect. I am the Spirit of Change, and my power manifests in many, many ways. But manipulation of Time itself is incredbly rare. And you have been chosen.**

"What... what do you mean?"

**You see, sometimes, an extraordinary human is born. Most times, it's something imperceptible, for example being faster, stronger, or more flexible than others, even without training. A Spirit have blessed then. It's something completely random. And absolutely rarely, they have more... flashy abillities. A pyromancer. What you humans call a 'werewolf'. And so on and so forth.**

"I-I don't understand," Max tried to racinalize all of this, "If it's random, how can you 'chose' me? And what does all of this have to do with me and Chloe?" she asked frantic.

**Myself and a few others... we're not ordinary Spirits. We can chose one single human to bear all of our power. And, what's able to change more than the flowing streams of time? As for that girl... I'm ashamed to say that it was a mistake. I thought she would be a distraction. She's not. You have showed me that she's literally what makes you stand before a storm. I am not interfering with her fate anymore.**

"So, you killed her time and time again, BECAUSE OF A MISTAKE?" Max's head was red with anger, her fists clenched, "And **what** do you want from me? Why have you chosen me?"

**...Apologies. It's about the rise of extraordinary humans. They have been growing exponentially, out of nowhere. This is not right, and I want you to find out what's happening, and then stop it. But not now, of course. You need training. As for _why_ you? That's for me to know, and you to find out.**

"Did... did you really just quote Blue Velvet?" She couldn't believe this... _being_ had said a movie quote.

**I have indeed. Whatever makes you more confortable**. Max could swear she heard a chuckle. **The thing is, the storm is not my creation.**

"What? How is that possible? I-I thought..."

**I understand your confusion. And this is in fact your first task. The storm was made by a fellow Spirit. It is traped, and it want to get out. The only way for you to stop the storm, is to find its prison, and break it.**

"...Alright. Where is it?"

**As I said, you have to find it. Something is clouding my vision. The only thing I can tell you is that it's hidden in plain sight, and it's old.**

"That's it? How am I supposed to find something that's hidden so well that it's in plain sight?"

**I'm sure you'll find a way. I see a bright future ahead of you, my Chosen. We'll see each other again very soon.** said the Spirit, starting to fade.

"Wait, I still don't-"

**Farewell**

* * *

"CHLOE!" Max woke up with a jolt.

Panting, she looked around. It was dark, but in her dorm room. She took a moment to calm her breath and process everything that had happened.

_This... was this real? Or just another messed up nightmare? And now I have to find some sort of prison if I want to stop the storm?_

Max grabbed her phone, turning it on.

00:26  
Monday, October 7th

"Oh my God! I am back! I actually did it!" she said so overjoyed that her voice came out as a whisper.

_Knock, knock._

"Max?"

_Kate? What does she want this late?_

"Come in"

Kate entered the room, shyly. She looked concerned.

"Hey Max, I was going to sleep and heard you scream," Kate explained, "Is everything... alright?"

And like a magic word, everything came crashing down onto Max. As a wave of nausea took control over her, all she could do was stumble off the bed and run towards the bathroom.

"I see." She said worried and ran after Max.

"Bleeeeeh" As Max emptied her stomach, Kate held her hair up.

_Shitty butterfly. And what's this? I don't even remember eating pickles._

"Hey Max, do you need something? I have some medicine in my room if you want."

_Oh Kate, I don't deserve you. You're having a fucked up time and are still worried about me._

"No, it's okay, I think- Bleeeeeeh"

"Oh yes, super okay," The blonde said with a smirk Max couldn't see, "Seriously, pass by my room and-" then she saw something, "Oh my Lord! Max! Your nose is bleeding!"

"What? Great, this... again..." Max started, but her vision began to spin, and her body suddenly became just so heavy that she had to lay it down.

"Max?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter! Woohoo!  
> I don't expect this to come so frequently, but I guess I'm in some sort of "honeymoon" state. Deal with it.  
> Anyway, thank you very much for being here, and if there's some sort of error you want to report, or even some tips and advices, feel free to pm me or say it in the comments section, and I will do my very best to make things right.  
> Alright, see ya.


	3. The Talk

_Bzzzt_

"Uuurh" Max woke up with a groan.

_Bzzzt_

"Oh, come on." She fumbled to her side, trying to reach her phone. But... it wasn't there. Then she realized.

"This is not my room!" she said, panic starting to spread its black vines through her body, "No, I thought... No, no, nononononono-"

But before she could mutter anything else, someone opened the door.

"Max? Oh thank God, you're awake! After you passed out last night I didn't know what to do, so I dragged you to my room, as it was the closest." Kate saw her friend's confusion and explained, "Sorry, I should have brought you to your room."

 _So it's- it's Kate's room. Am I going to freak out like this with every little different thing now?_ She thought, her heart slowing down.

"No, no, bringing me here should have been exhausting already, thank you Katie." Max said, now recognizing the pulled down blinds, the covered mirrors, the messed bed that... she was on? "Hold on, I'm in you bed, did you...?"

"Well, you were clearly needing it more than me, so after I cleaned your face a little I slept on the couch." The blond responded meekly.

_Right, my nose bleeded again... Did she really took this much care of me? After I failed you so much Katie..._

"Wowsers... I really am lucky to have you as my friend, Kate," Max began, "Did I ever told you this?"

"N-No, I mean, you don't have to-" Kate tried to interject, face a little red.

"Well, I should. And I mean it. Wait, what time is it?"

"Hmm, around 06:00 AM. Sorry about the alarm, I like to wake up early..."

"No, this is great, can we talk a little?"

"Sure, what about?" She asked while sitting down, catching up on Max's serious tone.

"It's about... this," Max motioned to the room, "This is not right. This is not you. What's going on?" Even though she knew the answers, Max had to ask these painful questions.

"Oh... Actually, I've been gathering the courage to talk to you about something," Kate started, eyes watering up a little, "Do you know about this... video of me that's been around Blackwell recently?"

"Yes, I know about that..."

"Did- Did you watch it?" She looked up to look into her friend's eyes.

"No. And I don't want to. There's no way I would do something like that to you. Also, I'll try to make other people see reason."

"Thanks, Max. This... This means a lot." Kate let out a sigh, "So, for some reason I was in a Vortex Club party, I didn't even plan to stay much. And- And I took one sip of red wine, Max. I don't remember anything after that. I woke up outside my room, and when I looked at my phone, there was this video of me making out with a bunch of guys I don't even know." She confessed, now with tears falling freely across her face.

_Okay, how am I going to approach this? Do I tell her what I know, or... But right now I think she just need comfort..._

"Right, you don't believe me... And why should you, you have no reason to..." Kate misunderstood Max's silence.

"No! That's no it, not at all. I fully believe you Kate." _Damn Caulfield, now she has to learn of the drugs.._ "It's just... look, no one gets wasted from one sip of red wine."

"Yes, I know Max, I take one sip at church and don't end up in some sick viral video!" Kate interrupted, slightly worked up.

"This is not what I meant," Max tried to explain, "What I mean is... for that to happen... Kate, I think you were drugged."

"Drugged?" her eyebrowns shot up. "How? Who?" she was getting more and more agitated, "M-Max, do you think... do you think I should go to the police?"

_Okay, this is it. I need to assure her that everything will be alright._

"First, can I ask you something?"

"Sure..."

"Do you trust me?"

"What? Of course I do, you're my friend..." Kate was confused by this.

"No, Kate. Do you **trust** me?" Max emphasized, "You trust me enough to carry on with whatever my answer is? Because if you don't, I can't answer a question this huge without hurting you."

"I-I... Yes Max, I do. I really do trust you." She said, fearing for the worst.

"Then, let me take care of this. Don't go to the police yet, they'll only make things worse. I'll handle all of it.

"Max... how can you possibly say you will take care of this alone? I'm sorry, but you're just a teenage girl, and-"

"I... might know what happened. And I promise you this will be over by the end of the day." Kate couldn't quite know why, but her friend's eyes just seemed so... sincere.

"You know what happened? How?"

"This is not something I want to talk about, not right now, but you said you trusted me, and I need you to do just that right now. All I ask of you is to just go to the classes and act normal for today, okay?"

"I..." she began to protest, but gave up after seeing how fiercely her friend stared at her, "Okay. Okay, I can do that. But Max?"

"Hm?"

"Can you really do that? Because I don't think I can handle much more of this."

"I promise. Look, I'm not saying things will do a one-eighty entirely, but people will find the truth. Also, you're much stronger than you think you are, Kate Marsh. I've seen it. You're smart, funny, a beautiful girl and have the kindest heart I've ever seen on a person. You surely don't deserve this crap, so don't let those stupid-" A really warm hug interrupted her.

"Thank you, Max," Kate broke the hug, after a few moments of confortable silence, "I really needed this, you know?" She said, sobbing a little.

"Oh c'mon, that's what friends are for, silly." The freckled girl gave a chuckle. "Now, I have to shower and meet a friend, you're going to be okay?"

"Wait up, you bleeded and passed out last night, don't you think you have to go to the hospital or something?"

"Nah, I'm fine, that was... I'm better than I have been in a long time, don't you worry."

"...Alright. Well, see you later then. I'm much better now, thanks to you."

_Oh, there it is, the Kate-smile. You really need to use it more._

"No problem, bye Kate." Max said, leaving the room.

* * *

As Max rushed her shower, the only thing on her mind was what she could possibly tell Chloe. Telling about Rachel was obviously off-bounds if she wanted the blue-haired punk to be clear-minded through this week, but not telling anything could mess everything up eventually.

_What the hell am I going to say to Chloe? After five years, I just show up claiming to be able to time-travel? Wait, when does she usually wake up? Great, one more problem._

_Okay, so let's sort what I need to do today. Somehow make Chloe believe me without her freaking out; Tip the dark-room to David so as to make that fucker rot in jail as soon as possible; find and break that Spirit's 'prison', whatever and wherever that is. Hm, I guess this one I have until friday._

"Am I ever going to rest?" She let out, entering her room, just to pull over her usual hoodie and jeans, grab her bag and phone, and leave.

Avoinding any kind of conversation, the girl left the building while typing.

 **Max:** Chloe! Please!

_Damn, you lazy girl, wake up. Still, after everything maybe she won't respond me even if she saw the text..._

**Max:** Please answer me!  
**Max:** Look, you can be mad at me as much as you want later  
**Max:** But please, answer me as soon as you read this, okay? I'm begging you here.  
**Chloe:** kay calm down will you? no one's dying Caulfield

_What a perfect choice of words. You have no idea, do you..._

**Max:** Thank god, you're awake. Are you okay? Like, physically?  
**Max:** No, no, hold on. YOU are awake? Chloe Price? This early?  
**Max:** Definitely not okay.  
**Chloe:** wow fuck you too  
**Chloe:** this is it? after 5 fkin years you decide to come and judge me?

_Crap! Forgot Chloe's still mad, she can't take the jokes._

**Max:** No! I'm sorry Chloe, it was just a joke  
**Max:** Can I come to your house so we can talk? It's really important  
**Max:** It could mean life or death.  
**Chloe:**...  
**Chloe:** alright  
**Chloe:** but if you come here with some half-assed apology  
**Chloe:** im punching you back out  
**Max:** I wouldn't expect less.  
**Max:** You didn't have a choice btw  
**Max:** Already on my way.

And with that, Max ignored the rest of her friend's angry text-shouts.

_Heh, totally worth it._

* * *

44 Cedar Ave

_I have so many memories from this place. Sigh... things are about to get real._

**Max:** Okay, I'm here.  
**Chloe:** come in

As Max stepped inside the house, she found the place eerily quiet.

_She's probably upstairs_

She got to her room and took a deep breath.

_Okay, control your emotions Caulfield. Even if you feel like jumping on her, keep it calm. Ugh, it'll be easier said than done._

**Knock, knock, knock**

"It's open." said the girl inside.

Entering the room, Max was overwhelmed by emotions. There it was, the flag, the posters, the graffiti. The... well, chaotic mess she grew so familiar with.  
And, of course, the smoking girl sitting on her bed, arms spread open -'playing it cool' so obviously it was cute.

There was this awkward path of silence, where Max could do nothing except shift from feet to feet at the doorframe.

"'Sup." Chloe decided to break the ice.

"H-Hey" _Damn, damn, damn, why am I shaking? It's just Chloe. Hell, that's exactly why I'm shaking, isn't it?_

"You're seriously just stand there? Come the fuck in already, I don't bite. Much." Chloe said, standing up.

"Sure." Max walked in, reluctantly.

"Soooo..."

"So?"

"You said you had some important bullcrap to say, what is it."

"Oh, that..." she took a moment to calm herself, "First, I- I just... I'm so sorry Chloe. I'm sorry I was a shitty friend."

"Hm? I didn't even notice." Chloe responded, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Look, I feel like shit, okay? And-"

"Well, you should. You hurt me, y'know? A lot. Like I said, I'm not accepting some half-assed apology."

_Ouch._

"It- It wasn't easy for me too, alright? I cried to sleep every single night the first few months I got there." Her eyes disobeying their orders to not leak, "Do you really think I wanted to abandon you? HELL NO! I have thousands of unsent email and messages and letters, but what the fuck I was supposed to say? 'Sorry your father is dead'. 'I wish I could be there'. Did you really wanted to hear this bullshit?!"

"Max, I... it's just-"

"Then, time passed by and it got harder and harder to press that damn send-button. I thought by then you would hate me, and with good damn reason. And yes, I know I came back and didn't contact you, but I... I'm just so scared Chloe. P-Please forgive me, I don't think I can-" She had dropped to her knees by now, sobbing completely. And Chloe muffled Max's voice with her shoulder.

"Shhh, it's okay."

"Buth I abnfded yu" Max said, with a mouth full of Chloe.

"Well, you're here now, I guess."

Max looked up, "Youh'fe nof madh a me?"

"Ha! Of course I'm mad at you. I'm a Price, godamn it. You're hella going to make it up for me," she said with a grin, "For example, you own me hundreds of Two-Whale meals that I was gonna make you pay for me." then she looked away, probably to hide her slightly red cheeks, "Also, your crying face is horrible. So shut it."

* * *

After a few minutes of deep-breathing, Max calmed down enough to talk normally again. And she... pouted?

"This... why did you do that?"

"That what?"

The smaller girl said flustered "I was the one supposed to help and support you right now."

"Well, too bad for you, I'm awesome."

"That you are" Max couldn't hold back.

"You- Did you just flirt, Caulfield?"

At a loss of words, she only managed an "Uuuhh..." _Dang it!_

But soon her eyes got nots more serious, "Chloe? I just want to say... I'm never leaving you, okay? Never again."

"...Okay" The punk's voice crackled a little and she cursed herself in her mind.

Then Max smiled, "No, seriously, I won't leave your side. I'll stick by like a noisy mosquito on a summer night." Congratulating herself for taking a chuckle of the taller girl's mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, it's chapter 3 already. Next chapter will probably come tomorrow (today? well, sunday), I didn't want to break this chapter down, but it seemed this conversation needed a break.  
> And oi, I'm starting college on monday, so it may or may not hinder my word-making. If this happens, things will slow down, but I'll try to make bigger chapters, so nothing really to lose.  
> Thank you for reading, and send me your thoughts and feedback!  
> Btw your kind words are getting me all giddy hihihihi


	4. David and Conquer

"Okay, alright. Now that this mushy shit is out of the way, what is it you wanted to say?" Chloe asked after a few moments of recomposing herself. "You sounded almost hysterical."

"Yes, that... it's really complicated. Do you want the direct approach, or the not-so-direct one?"

"Dude, it's me. You shouldn't have to ask that."

"Hmm, true. But, I think I should loosen you up first."

"Woah, calm your hungry teenager hormones down. Flirting, loosening me up... This is getting kinda pervy, Maxipad." She said with a grin.

"S-Shut up!" Max blushed, "And don't call me that!" _Geez, every single Chloe called me that_

"Heh, I'm messing with you. Come on, spill it."

"Alright, soooo... I can time-travel."

At that, Chloe just looked at her, skeptical.

"Yeah, I know what you're thinking, but I'm serious. And I can prove it."

"Oh really? Enlighten me." her voice monotonous.

"I know what's in you pockets."

"Even I don't know what's in my pockets."

"Exactly."

"Sure, okay, let's play your game. What do I have."

"You have a cheap-brand pack with seven cigarettes left, a cute little robot-panda keychan for your truck," she would never forget these details, "86 cents in spare change, and, behold! You have a parking ticket issued on September 12, 2013. The time was 10:34 AM."

"That was... oddly especific. But shame on you my pack and keys are not on me. I also am pretty sure I have more than 7 cigarettes." Chloe said while pointing to her desk.

"Damn, right, we have done this tomorrow in the diner, so things probably shoud be different..." Max scratched her head, "And the other two?"

"You don't know when to stop, do you?" Chloe said while fumbling with her pockets, "Here, eighty...six cents? And, hmm... what the fuck? The ticket, how did you know this?"

"Time-traaaavel" Max replied wiggling her fingers. "Come here, I can do better." And she dragged Chloe to the window.

"What? Do you like my window?" The punk said with a smirk.

"Shhh, let me concentrate."

A bird landed on the power line. Squirrels jumped onto a trash can, knocking it down. A lone, white SUV had to stop because of it.

_Okay, I can use this_

**@**

"What? Do you like my window?" The punk said with a smirk.

"Over there, a bird will land on the power line."

"Meh, birds do th-" Max's fingers interrupted her.

"Shhh, look. Squirrels will jump onto that trash can..." there they were, "Tip it down," they did just that, as if on cue, "Making it roll down the street."

"Holy shitballs, Ma-"

"I'm not finished! Look, a white SUV will come down the street and have to stop because of the can." Max was enjoying every single reaction of her friend, "And then a bald man with a stripped red shirt will come out of the car to pick it up, cursing." And as these events unfolded, her childhood friend was speechless.

"Wha- It- How's this possible? How did you know that?" she managed, eyes bulging out.

"I told you, I rewound time."

"Yeah, but-"

"Chlo, if you still doubt me, I can show you something really scary but equally amazing."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, **I** am gonna rewind time, but what **you** will see is me blinking through space."

"Alright, I guess that would make anyone believe."

"Okay, you ready?" Chloe nodded. Except no one was in front of her anymore.

"WHAT. THE. FUCK?" She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around, but there was nothing. She turned again and,

"Boo!" Max was there.

"Aaaahhhh!" Chloe was so surprised she fell back.

"Hahahahaha! Max ninja strikes again." She began to laugh.

But then, she saw Chloe curl into a fetal ball on the floor.

"Chloe?"

"Fuck, I must be stressed. Yeah, that's it, I'm really stressed with Nathan and shit, now I'm seeing things and-"

"Hey? Chloe? You're alright?"

"-fuckingshitofcourseshedidn'tcomebackwhywouldherI'mjustcrazy-"

_Oh no. No, please, no. I need you with me on this, come on._

"CHLOE?! PLEASE! SNAP OUT OF IT!" Max screamed.

"afterfivefuckingyearsshewouldn'tjustpopupthiscan'tbereal-"

"STOP IT! YOU'RE NOT CRAZY, I'M HERE!"

"STEP BACK! YOU'RE NOT FUCKING REAL, SO STOP-"

_**Slap.** _

It wasn't a strong slap. Far from it. It was a really light slap, one could say it was gentle. And Max regretted it all the same.

But, it had done its job.

"Che, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," her eyes moistering again, "You just wouldn't listen. This seemed the most 'real' thing I had."

_It was a slap, or... well..._

"But... how? I saw you disappear. This shouldn't be possible, Max." The sheer surprise had calmed her down a little.

"I dunno why or how, really. But it's the truth, I can rewind time, and I really, **really** need you with me on this here."

"...What is 'this'?"

"I... it's so complicated. I promise I'll explain everything, but we have some really important stuff to do." Her face was a mask of emotions, something no one could possibly understand,-

"You're hiding something, aren't you? Something that can really hurt me?" -but after all these years, Chloe was still her best-friend.

"I am. All I can say for now, is that I have already lived this week."

"Look, however painful, I want you to tell me. I- I promise you I won't do anything reckless."

"It's just... Alright. Tomorrow. I'll tell everything tomorrow. But right now, I need you to call David."

"...Fine. Wait, what? Stepshit? Why?" Chloe quirked and eyebrow.

"We need his help. Also, you two really need to get it thogether."

"No, thanks. And why don't you just talk to him at Blackwell?"

"We need to talk somewhere really private, so you have to tell him to meet with you... uh..."

"The lighthouse?" 

_Figures..._

"...Yeah, sure."

"Okay, but I still don't get it. Guy hates me, why would he come?" Her voice was incredulous, to say the least.

"You see, he actually care about you so much that he's harsh on you. Also, he saved my life, so I wouldn't even be here right now if not for him."

With this last bit, Chloe's face eased a bit and she picked up her phone.

"Fine, sure. You're the almighty Timelord after all. What should I say?"

"Ha. Ha." Max laughed, ironicaly, "Anyway, just try to sound like you're in really dire straits and he'll come, I know it."

"Pfft, doubt it."

* * *

_"Chloe? What is it? You've never called me, are you ok?"_

_He actually sounds... concerned? Naah_

"Hey, stepd- ouch!" Chloe exclamed, because a nearby elbow found its way to her ribs, "Hey, David"

_"Look, Chloe, I'm busy right now, so if you could cut straight to it I would be grateful."_

"I, hmmm... I need..."

_I don't freaking believe I'm doing this. Stupid Max, with her stupid time-crap, and her stupid photography, and her stupid cute...face. No! No, no no, don't go there. Those are dangerous waters, Price!_

_"Just say it already."_

"Alright, I need your help, okay? Happy?"

_"You... need what now?_

"Don't make me say it again, can we talk? Privately. It's super important, alright? So can we meet at the lighthouse?"

_"Hmm. Okay. But if you're pranking me, I swear to God you'll regret it. Can you wait until lunch break?"_

_What's this witchcraft? He's sounding worried while being a dick, what the hell._

Chloe muted her phone and asked Max, "Can we?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Whatever, go fill your belly. Just don't forget. Noon, lighthouse, important, bye." And she hung up.

Looking at Max's expression she said, "Jesus, fine. You were right, shut up Miss Know-It-All."

"Hehe, at least you know it."

"And what now? Anymore shitty führers to call?"

"Actually, I'm kinda hungry from all of this. Can we go to Two-Whales for breakfast?" She conceded, and after seeing her friend's puppy eyes, she added "...My treat."

"No need to say twice, let's go." Chloe grinned.

_I... Can't really be mad at you, can I? Is it bad that I want to?_

* * *

Entering the diner, their noses were attacked by so many wonderful smells they could drown.  
And, there she was, Joyce Price, ruler of Two-Whales with iron fists. And her face brighted upon seeing her new customers.

"Oh my, oh my, Max! It's great to see you, hon." The woman greeted them with a full smile.

"And my wonderful, brilliant and pretty daughter too, yeey." Chloe scoffed while sitting on their usual booth.

"Please, don't act like you don't come here all the time."

"Shush, you two," Max intervened, with a smile "It's really great to see you too, Joyce."

"So, what's gonna be, girls?"

"I am dying for your Belgian Waffles, and also a cup of coffee, please." Max said.

"Hmm, I'll go for eggs 'n bacon. Lots of it by the way."

"You'll get one strip of bacon, young lady, you're gonna eat all our stock at this rate."

"Hey! Today's different, I'm gonna- Max's gonna pay, alright?"

"Oh, now you're abusing your friend's kindness, hm?"

"Mom!"

"It's alright Joyce, I promised her." Max protested, even if amused with their bickering. "Bring her aaaall the bacon."

"Seeee?"

"...Alright. Be right back, ladies." And she left.

Now alone, the two fell into a bit of silence. They didn't want to break the mood with something serious, but couldn't quite avoid it.

"So, you rewind time."

"Yup."

"Anything I should know? Are you radioactive or shit?"

"What? No! Do you think some time-spider bit me?"

"No clue. How did you discover it?"

"This... well... it's actually the very reason of me being here right now."

"Which is?"

"You can't talk to Nathan today. In reality, it should be better to avoid him completely."

"How do you- Ah, nevermind. I'll call you Oracle from now on. You'll live on the mountains, answering every question asked by mankind." She managed a good laugh from the smaller girl.

Calming down, Max continued, getting serious again, "He had a gun, Chloe. From the timeline I'm from, you died in that bathroom."

The punk was so shocked she didn't notice her mom standing by her side, "Here you go, girls. Jesus, are you alright Chloe? You look so pale."

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine." She waited until Joyce was out of earshot to whisper-shout, "He had a gun? I- I died?"

"Yes... I don't know if I got my powers there, there's this weird Spirit thing going on, but that was the first time I rewound. He shot you, and I freaked out so much I reached with my hand like this," she motioned with her hand, "And then... things went back. Then, the next time it happened I pressed the fire-alarm and saved you."

"Wait a minute, if you saved me there, what are you doing here right now?" Chloe was confused.

"This envolves too much details for now, okay? I'll tell everything tomorrow."

"Damn, this is so weird..."

"You tell me. Speaking of Spirits, I had this dream were it gave me a task, can you help me?"

"Ooooh, I get to be a superhero's sidekick? Amazeballs."

"I'm... no superhero, believe me... Anyway, I have to find some sort of prison. Like, not a common prison, it's something old and hidden in plain sight."

"I mean... the prison is certainly old, and would be the most hidden-in-plain-sight something not-common-prison could get."

"That... would make way too much sense to be true."

"'Kay, I'll keep an eye on it. Now, let's feast." And she attacked the food in front of her, all the while eyeing Max's waffles.

After Max paid for their meal, they left the diner and sat on Chloe's truck.

"Where to now, Maxter?"

"Can we just go back to your house? I feel like watching some movies."

"Don't you have school? I know I'm irresistible, but you shouldn't ditch class like that."

"Ow, the hard-as-nails Chloe is concerned about studying? What a plot-twist! No, seriously, after everything that's gonna happen today, I don't think I'll have..." Max smirked, " **time**."

"Oh no, you just did not. Still the smartass, aren't ya?"

"Some things never change."

* * *

After some movies and jokes about how they were crappy, came the time of their meeting with David.

Entering the truck once again Max said, "Hey Chloe, this is really important, so... well..."

"Don't be too myself?"

"No! Well, yes. I didn't mean it like that, just don't jump on his throat, alright?"

"Relax Maximus. Sometimes, when problems come bother you, you just need to take a deep breath. Breath it aaaall in." Chloe said with a smirk Max couldn't quite understand.

"This doesn't make any sen- Oh God, Chloe!" Max hastily opened the window, gasping for fresh air, "What the hell died in your pants? A racoon?"

"Hahahahaha, what? Wanna find out?"

_Yes, yes, yes, yes_

"Gaaahh, you- shut it." She was just glad she was with her head out of the window, because her bright red cheeks could probably make things worse.

 

A few minutes later, the duo arrived at the cliff's parking lot.

"Look like he's there already." Chloe said while pointing to his car.

"Yep. Lets make it quick." Max couldn't quite shake all the bad feelings she got of this place.

"Hey, why are you shaking? He's an asshole, but don't deserve that much."

"It's just... bad stuff happened here, is all."

"Oh. Yo, it's gonna be alright, okay? We'll be fine, I promise. Now come on, slowpoke, the faster we get there, the faster we leave."

"Okay, you're right..."

And so they began the sinuous climb though the lighthouse's cliff.

Aftewards what felt like a small torture for Max, they got to the top and saw a familiar face.

"You said you wanted to talk in private. How do you expect me to trust you with you just keep lying?"

"Well, she's part of 'private'. And I don't expect shit of you, okay? You never have, and never will earn my trust, and I sure as hell don't want yours!"

"Is that so? Thank you for this great waste of time, then. It seems you can solve your problems alone." And he made to leave.

_Shit, already? Things got downwards way too quickly_

**@**

"You said you wanted to talk in private. How do you expect me to trust you with you just keep lying?"

And before Chloe could say anything, Max grabbed her arm and gave her a stern look. She leaned her down and whisper in her ear.

"Hey, let me handle it, okay? It's me who knows what this is about anyway."

"...I got it. I probably messed this up already, right?"

"So? You two won't say anything? Because I have more important things to do." 

"Wait, Mr. Madsen. I'm sorry, it was me who made Chloe call you."

"And who are you? Wait, I think I saw you on campus?" His tone was a little harsh.

"She's Max Caulfield, my best-friend, alright? So knock your paranoidness out of her." Chloe jumped in.

_So she still thinks of me as her best-friend? Oh, thank God, Bhudda, Vishnu and everyone up there!_

"And yes, I study at Blackwell. Anyway, we wouldn't call you here if it wasn't important."

"And what is it? Look, kid, if it's something tri-"

"I know who you are looking for."

"...What do you mean?"

"I know you've been investigating some... occurences. I know who did it. I know where he did it. I even know when he did it."

"And how do you know something like that?"

"I... don't want to talk about it. Look, it doesn't matter. It's Mark Jefferson."

"The teacher? I don't like the guy, but-"

"The place is the barn. **The** Barn. The Prescott's barn. We both know I couldn't know this place if I didn't know what I'm talking about."

"Wait, you're serious? That place is already hidden, so almost no one knows it's a Prescott state."

"Exactly. This is serious. You need to bring a team there and search the place, you'll find all the answers you want."

"This- This is big. If you are right, we should get going right now, and-"

"Wait! No, Jefferson has cameras all over the place, you have to go there and wait for my signal, okay? I'll go to class and try to keep him busy."

"Yes, that... seems like a good plan. When is your class?"

"He's my last class for the day. When I signal, you can enter the barn by moving a loose plate in the back. There, you can find a trapdoor hidden under some hay. Inside it there's a staircase leading to a shelter-door. The code is 542."

"Alright, now if you excuse me, I'll convince some friends from the police. We'll be there." And then he left, nearly running down the path.

And Chloe, who've been way too quiet along this conversation, began to cry.

"Max? How do you know all of this? Please... please don't say it's what I'm thinking."

"... **it's worse.** "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boom, chapter 4. Sorry it took longer than I said, some unpredictable stuff banged on my door. Literally.  
> And damn, Max still have so much to do, and it's just monday! Poor girl...  
> Hey, thank you for your time, leave your comments and feedback and I'll cherish all of it.  
> Alright, till next time.


	5. Mark of the Deceived

And it was worse. Not on account of what the brunette had been through in the Dark Room. No, the worst part for Max was the face her friend made when bloodied fingers uncovered burried plastic. When she saw how broken a person could get from unwraping their own friend's body bag. How blue eyes were clouded by so much killing intent, and how they went head-first into a trap and how a needle numbed her body and howabulletmadeitswaythrough-

The ride back to Blackwell was filled with a tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. They were as silent as can be. Chloe asked, pleadged even, for Max to open up, but the smaller girl's lips were sealed shut. Max just couldn't, not because it hurts to just think of these events, but because what she knew Chloe would do if she knew what happened to Rachel. This could undermine this entire 'operation' she put on tracks to catch Jefferson.

So they arrived at the parking lot, and she still didn't say a thing.

Even after Chloe got a hint of what she was hidding, reading her like a book -as aways,

"Max, I'm not stupid, alright. You said earlier you were hidding something that could really hurt me. You **have** to tell me what happened to her! You know I deserve it!"

She could not.

Even after Chloe began to scream at her, spit coming out of her mouth,

"Fuck, Max! After my dad died and you fucking **left** , she was the **only** one there for me! I don't want to hear it from some random cop! She saved my fucking life, okay? You **own** me this! I **promise** I won't do something thoughtless."

She could not.

Even after Chloe's face was filled with blood and her veins were bulging up, she had to remain silent. Because if she said one thing, one small thing, if she opened her mouth, the dam would break.

"Fuck! FUCK! Why? Why are you doing this? Why can't you just tell me already? Why you just keep on aband-" Even though her eyes were bloodshot, she managed to catch herself. It just wasn't fair, "G-Get... Get out of the truck! GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY TRUCK!"

And Max wanted to tell her everything, she wanted to hold her, to embrace her, to be her crying shoulder.

But she could not.

So she got out of the truck and Chloe stormed away. And Max didn't look back. Because she had to be the strong one, and bottle it all up, and be once again in that motherfucker's class and-

She could not.

Being strong sucks. So she got to her room, and cried. And cried. And she was grateful no one was around to see her face a mix of so much sadness, and pain and grief. And she cried. And she kept thinking about the things Chloe said or almost did, and how Chloe was right to deserve to know, and how she really did abandon her friend once again. And she grabbed her pillow and screamed on it, and she cried.

Because she could not.

* * *

As the time for Jefferson's class came by she was still dry heaving, but finally chose to get up to splash some water on her face. Unfortunately, the shower room wasn't empty.

"Well hello, Maxine." Victoria scoffed.

"It's Max, never Maxine." she corrected, "And please, just don't. I don't have time for this."

"Oh? Thinking high of youself now, Caulfield?" And the blonde began to say something else, but then Max looked up. "You were crying?"

"Why the fuck do you care?" she turned the sink on, put some water in her hands and rested her head there for a good fifteen seconds.

"I- I just- Yeah, you're right, I don't care. You were probably just whining because you don't have a decent photo for the Contest anyway."

"I couldn't care less about this stupid contest."

"Oh, please, everytime Mark talked about it you-"

"VICTORIA!" Max's head snapped up, "You don't know shit... He...", she let out a sigh, "Victoria, I'll give you the best advice you'll receive in a good while. Stay as far away from him as you can."

"What? Is this a threat, **Maxine**? Who do you think you-" But Max had already left and didn't hear the rest.

 **David:** We're here.  
**Max:** I'm not on class yet  
**Max:** Hold your positions  
**David:** If he does anything suspicious, I want you to run  
**David:** Don't think about it, just run  
**David:** The police are on the area, as soon as we gather proof they will mobilized  
**Max:** Roger.

Max sat down in one of the dormitorie's front yard bench, taking a little breather from everything. She just watched the squirrels jumping around. A few butterflies -normal ones, fortunately. Birds chirping its beatiful songs. The Tobanga overlooking all of it.

_Sometimes I wish I was a bird... go anywere I wanted, without any drama. Be truly free._ She let out a tired sigh. _Now I'm sounding like an old woman._  
_And you, oh great totem. You were supposed to protect us, didn't you? Nice job..._  
_Just... a little more. I'll go to his class, sit there, and stall. That's it. Shouldn't be hard. Yes, I can do it._  
_I'm worried about Kate, though. This day was really bad for her last time._

**Max:** Hey, Kate  
**Max:** You're holding ok?  


_I feel so sad to already know this answer..._

**Kate:** I've been better, Max  
**Kate:** But you asked me to hold on, so that's what I'm doing  
**Max:** On this matter, there's just a few things left for me to tie up  
**Kate:** Seriously???  
**Kate:** You discovered what happened?  
**Max:** Yup  
**Max:** There's no problem Super-Max can't solve  


_Except my own_

**Kate:** And...  
**Kate:** What is it  
**Max:** Before that, can I ask one more thing from you?  
**Max:** It can be quite a lot to ask, but I swear it's for the greater good  
**Kate:** Sure, it's the least I can do, what do you want?  
**Max:** I want you to ditch class  
**Kate:** Max?  
**Max:** Please, I had a fight with a friend and could use some company  
**Max:** I'm on my way to Blackwell, can you wait me on my room?  
**Kate:** Ok, I can do that. But the door...?  


_Damn, Katie. You didn't even question twice. Why people wanted to beat up this amazing person?_

**Max:** It's open, just go there and wait me, yes?  
**Kate:** Ok

_Alright, this is going to be less stressful for her. Also, I don't want poor Kate anywhere near that psychopath._

But as Max finished these thoughts and got to the school's entrance, she spotted a familiar pair of feet.

"Max? I thought you would take longer... So, what happened with you and your friend?"

_Shit_

**@**

_Side entrance it is..._

 **Max:** Begin. Make it quick.  
**David:** Don't worry. Remember, don't try to be a hero.

Entering the classroom and seeing his face again, coul be described in one word.

Fear.

Fear from what she knows he's capable of. Fear for every single person unaware of the situation. Fear for her plan failing.

But as soon as fear's twisted, insane fingers started to coil around her very existence, freezing her in place, she shook it off.

Actually, because of the very fear. A bigger fear.

Fear for losing her loved ones, for losing Chloe once again. Fear for the victims, for Rachel and Kate to remain unavenged. Fear for this monster to remain unpunished, defiling more and more innocent girls.

So with trembling legs, she got near him. With a shaking, sweating hand she grabbed his phone. With the other, she bended reality to avoid his complaints.

**@**

So with trembling legs, and a second phone in her pockets, she sat down on her desk. The girl kept asking him questions, even ones with obvious answers. Stuttering, she tried to avoid weird looks and Victoria's annoying comments. She kept him talking, even though she knew it didn't matter. Without his phone he would be unaware of his alarm system. But Max just couldn't take the risk.

She was running out of subjects when lights flashed on the window, accompanied by the high pitched wailing of sirens, screeching tires and a dozen men running towards the building.

_God, I must be pretty fucked up to think of the sound of sirens as comforting... But this is finally over and-_

Sadly, Jefferson didn't escape attention for so many years by being an idiot. He knew this was because of him. And he had a 'safety measure'. He took his gun from the bag.

"I should remind all of you that we are still on class, so everyone stay in your sits. It would be very rude to your professor if you were to leave, right?" He said sarcastically, then his voice dropped a few pitchs, "Move an inch and it'll be the last time you move." He barked. But he wasn't fast enough to see a raising hand in the back of the class.

**@---**

_Okay, let's fix this._ Max thought while still using her powers.

Ever so slowly, she moved from her desk towards the front of the room. It felt like swimming in a swamp, like ropes were attached to her limbs. It was tiring, but she got there, retrieved the piece from his bag, and digged through the bindings of space and time once again. Sitting were she was before she released it.

**\---@**

...And he had a 'safety measure'. But not anymore.

The teacher fumbled with his bag, a look of confusion on his face.

"What? I swear I had..." Not finding what he wanted, he ran out of the place.

**@**

Not finding what he wanted, he ran out of the place. Or he tried.

_**Rattle rattle** _

"HOW? IT WAS OPEN!" The man was pretty much panicking by now. He pulled a sharp scissor from his desk and grabbed Daniel as a hostage.

Now, the rest of the room as filled with chaos. How their usuallly calm and collected mentor could act like this? His acts had set them off, the mumbling, the running around. They had been picking clues about the situation since the police arrived. But now they were sure. A colleague of theirs was being held at sharp point. But none of them actually believed it. They didn't **want** to.

"NO ONE LEAVES, OR HIS BLOOD WILL BE IN YOUR HANDS!" Jefferson howled.

Some screamed, some cried, some stepped back. But Victoria, she was just confused. She couldn't process all of this. Her idol, holding a hostage, this couldn't be true, right? It's maybe just a prank, and... But then she recalled her conversation with Max from earlier. So she looked at her right and got even more confused, because the girl was just so calm.

That, and Max raising her arm.

_No, this is so NOT happening!_

**@**

"HOW? IT WAS OPEN!"

"Freeze! Don't move or I'll shoot, you freaking psycho." Max raised the gun, it trembling in her hands.

"What? That's MY gun, how did you-"

"Why you **had** a gun, Mr. Jefferson?" Victoria chipped in, her eyes bulging out. "Max? What's going on?"

"Not now, Victoria. As I said, he's not who you think he is."

_Fuck, so much for trying to avoid attention_

"Give. That. Back. TO ME!" Jefferson took a step foward, growling.

"I said FREEZE!" Max shot by his side, hitting the blackboard. "Next time I SWEAR I won't miss!"

She just had enough. She wasn't the wallflower of before. Ever since finding her powers, and consequently Chloe, she learned to break through her obstacles and not just walk around them. Hell, this whole incident right now was only happening because she literally did something she thought as impossible.

Max had bought the police enough time, and hearing the gunshot they came directly to this room.

**@**

And walked right in, because the door was unlocked.

"What?! IT WAS JUST LOCKED!" The bearded man was simply stunned. So much he only got aware of what was truly happening when his hands were cuffed behind his back.

"Mark Jefferson, you are under arrest for the drugging, kidnapping, murder -and counting- of several young women. You have the right to remain in silence. Anything you say..." as Max recognised the officer stating the Miranda Warning as Officer Berry she walked towards him.

"Officer Berry? H-Here, it's his gun and phone."

"My PHONE too? I don't know HOW you did this, but I'll remember it, Maxine Caulfield. i'll remember all of it!"

" **You better**." Even talking with him left a bitter taste in her mouth, "I want you to remember every horrible thing you did as you rot the rest of your days in jail." She probably surprised everyone in this room with how low and menacing her words sounded.

"Ok guys, take him out of here. Put him thogether with the boy." the officer didn't let Jefferson protest, "You're Maxine Caulfield? Wait, how do you know my name?"

"Please just Max. And... I'm just a well informed person."

"Hmm. David told me what you did, and you handled it well, kid. If I was in your shoes... Anyway, we'll need to ask you a few things later, ok? Don't be scared, you-"

"Yes, sir. I know that. Can I just... take some air for now?"

"Definitely, definitely. Now, do you happen to know where's Victoria Chase and Kate Marsh? We need to talk to them too."

"Victoria is that one," she responded, point to the blonde, "And Kate is at the dorms, probably my room. Actually sir... can I ask a favor?"

"You deserve more than that, Max."

"Can you give me a ride Mr. Madsen's house?"

"Sure thing kiddo, just ask officer Martin over there."

* * *

"...Chloe. Have a sit." David's voice was so, so sad. He was fiddling with his hands. Chloe couldn't believe this man she hated so much actually had... tears in his eyes?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 5 is here. One less thing for Max to care about. But, solving this problem could create other problems? Hmmm...  
> As I said, I'm sorry I have to slow down a bit because of college, I'll try to post one more chapter during the weekend.  
> Thank you all for reading this, and leave a comment if you have any thoughts!
> 
> P.S.: If the title got you confused, it's because Mark deceived every single one around him, even himself. It... probably would make a little more sense in my native language.


	6. Life Vest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there! So, I would recommend you to hear the acoustic version of Life Vest, by the amazing band The Material. It fits LiS so much it's scary, and I thought it would give a nice ambience.
> 
> * * *

"...Chloe. Have a sit." David's voice was so, so sad. He was fiddling with his hands. Chloe couldn't believe this man she hated so much actually had... tears in his eyes?

He'd done his job leading the police to the barn, and because he's not from the actual police, they told David to step aside a little. So he decided to come early and break the tragic news to his stepdaughter.

"I-It's my room, don't tell me what to do."

_Why is he so... strange? D-Did he? Did he find something?_

"Don't make this harder, Chloe. I... don't know how to say this." The man avoided eye contact at all costs. "You friend, Rachel Amber. She's... she's dead." He finally gathered enough courage and look straight at her eyes.

_No. No, no, not her. No, please just_

"Shut up! SHUT. UP! Why should I trus- Why you- no. No, she can't be FUCKING DEAD!" _**Thump**_ She punched his chest. Hard. Really hard.

"Chloe, we found-"

"No! Stop bullshitting me!" _**Thump**_

"-photos. Nathan apparently over-"

"I said stop! I don't-" _**Thump**_

"-dosed her. He then-"

"FUCK! SHE CAN'T BE-" _**Thump**_

"-disposed of the body-"

"FUCKING DEAD, THERE'S NO WAY SHE-" _**Thump**_

"-at the junkyard. I just received notice that they found her."

"NO! _**Thump**_ NO! No! _**Thump**_ _ **Thump**_ No, no nononono _**Thump**_ _ **Thump**_ _ **Thump**_ _ **Thump**_ _ **Thump**_ raa-a-acheell. please you cant be" She was not making any intelligible sounds anymore. The only things that came out of her throat was relentless sobbing and a few barely audible grunts.

"I am so, **so** sorry, Chloe." He truly was. His chest hurt like hell, David was pretty sure she managed to fracture a few ribs. But he knew this was nothing compared to what she felt right now.

So he embraced her. She fought back for a moment but quickly gave up. Right now, nothing mattered. Their fights, grudges, distrust? Nothing mattered. Rachel was gone. She just latched onto his shirt and cried and felt like never letting go.

And if Joyce was here, she would have thought they'd gone crazy. And maybe they had. Maybe the world had been turned upside down. Maybe they could give each other a chance.

"Where. Is Nathan?" She managed between whimpers. And suddenly her eyes filled with the most scorching hellfire.

_I-I... I am gonna KILL HIM. I WILL FUCKIN CUT HIS STOMACH AND-_

"Don't worry. He's in custody already. Not even Sean can salvage this. That bastard is gonna pay, Chloe."

But just as suddenly it was gone.

_He's... but... BUT HE KILLED HER! He..._  
_Max, you... knew. She was just taking care of me, why did I..._  
_Is she mad? Of course she is. I exploded on her. Fuck, she's back and now I ruined it. Once fucking again. I just wish she-_

_**Knock, knock** _

"C-Chloe? Chloe, I'm entering." And she did. And got surprised at the scene that developed before her eyes, "You two... realize you are hugging each other, or..."

"Hm? Ah!" Chloe pushed away.

"I, hm..." He cleared his throat, "I'll go talk to the policemen, see if they need anything..." Getting up, he leaned towards Max's ears and whispered, "Hey, you can handle... everything?"

"Yes Mr. Madsen, don't worry."

"It's David. After everything you did, there's no need for formality. I'll be on my way now." Closing the door, he left the two girls alone.

"So... you two hugged, huh?..."

"It- It just happened, this is not a thing..." 

Or maybe it was, because Max hugged her too. And she held her like something precious, like porcelain and like something broken, like an angsty teenage girl. Like someone who didn't deserve all this shit. Like something special. And like something Chloe hadn't thought she could be in a long while. Like something loved.

And Chloe, she hugged her back. She held her, squeezed her. And she laid down all of her grief and misery and regrets onto Max's shoulder. And Max accepted all of it. And Chloe held her harder, clutching around her like her life depended on it. Like a life vest. In this ocean of sadness, she could be adrift, but as long as she held onto Max, she wouldn't sink.

They stood there in silence, the only thing breaking it being Chloe's sorrowful sobbing.

"Chloe, I..." After what could be minutes, or hours, or days, Max started.

_Okay, here it comes. The well deserved 'I told you so'. I probably **did** try to kill him before. After? Shit, time-travel is weird._

"I'm sorry Chloe." 

_What_

"What?!" 

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I know I should have, but-" And Max began to cry too. 

"No! Stop it right now, Max. You were just protecting me. Again." 

"But... maybe not. I just- I thought you would freak out, and... I wasn't even certain, and I fucking abandoned you once again and-" 

_For fucks sake, Max. I don't deserve you. Why do you even bother with someone like me?_

"Shut up!" The punk couldn't tolerate this, "Max, I... **want** to kill Nathan. Like, I really do. But he's in jail, and I can't just barge in there. And it's for the best. Also, this beating yourself up thing? Stop it. It doesn't go well with your freckles." She tried to chuckle, but the lump in her throat turned it into a cough. 

"I still feel so bad, Che. I know she meant the world for you, and..."

"Please, can we just... lay down? I don't feel like... existing today." Saying this, the taller girl curled in the bed, not able to hold the tears back any longer.

Soon, Max followed suit. A moment of hesitation, she spooned Chloe.

"Shh, it'll be okay. It'll be okay. Everything will turn out okay." With nothing else to say, Max just kept repeating these words in a soothing voice, like a mantra. 

_Rache... I wish you two had met. I miss you so much, Angel..._

Eventually, maybe because of that, or maybe because she was so much tired from the pain, the bluenette fell asleep. Their bed, a tiny island that could save them from this emotional storm.

She even missed the freaky snow outside.

* * *

Exhaustive hours had passed when the police finally closed their interrogations for the day. Kate Marsh still had her eyes moist when she finally slumped on her chair.

_So the bright lights... it was the Dark Room? Those photos... who's so sick to do something like that?_

The policemen had showed her the photographs Jefferson took of her, but said they need them for evidence. They did, tough, tell her that she would later receive them all so she could dispose the photos any way she wanted. It was hers after all.

_Nathan drugged me... Mr. Jefferson, he... God, how I wish they were-_

No one who saw Kate Marsh right now would recognize her. Clenched fists, a furrowed brow. Anger. Wrath. For a moment, she truly sinned. And with her eyes closed, she didn't see how flames started to consume her surroundings.

_-but, You did answer my prayers, Lord. Through Max, right? She believed me, and actually got him arrested. And how she told me to stay in her room, and how she dealed with... **him** at the classroom. You must have helped her, thank you Father. If only more people acted like her. If only **I** was strong like her..._

And just as suddenly, the fire disappeared. Everything seemed a little brighter, actually. 

_I should talk to her, Max went through so much today_

_**Knock, knock** _

_Hm?_

She didn't expect anyone, and something about the knocking made her think they also didn't expect to be here.

"Who is it?" 

"I-It's... Victoria." her voice sounded... so weak. This couldn't be the same person she knew, "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

_She- Victoria? She can't possibly come here to torment once again, right? I mean, now everybody know the truth. But she... hurt me so much_

_**Crack crack crack** _

Out of the blue, her door began to fill with cracks, from top to bottom, from left to right. It looked like a giant spider web. 

"What?!" Kate didn't know what surprised her more, her bully wanting to talk with her or all the little fractures, so she unconsciously rubbed her eyes. And it was all gone. 

"I-I... need to talk to you. It's important, can you... let me in?" She took Kate's tone as surprise towards her, unaware of what just unfolded the other side of the door. 

"...What do you want? If you're planning something, I-" 

"I want to apologize." Said an erratic voice outside the room. Definitely not Victoria. Right? 

After a few minutes of an excruciating silence, Victoria heard the door unlock. Entering the room, she closed it behind her and fixed her gaze at the girl looking through the window. 

"Kate, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I didn't know that-" The taller blonde began, frantic, "I thought- I have no excuse, Kate. I'm so fucking stupid and-" 

"Why did you do it?" The Christian girl asked. Victoria found it odd, but responded nonetheless. 

"I- Look, you have this abstinence thing going on, and- at the party, you-" She was tripping at her words, not sure how to say it, "I thought you were an hypocrite, and just... took things too far. But now they say you were drugged, and..." Kate was still immobile by the window, which just made Victoria more anxious, "No, it's not even a motive. I know, I know I shouldn't do that with anyone, whatever the situation- I'm really sorry." 

_She... does sound apologetic. And know it's wrong..._

_But she almost broke me. I was actually thinking of-_

_But the Lord says "Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."_

_Father... please guide me. This is **so** hard, should I really forgive her? What if she doesn't mean it?_

Then she noticed something odd. Snow. It's was about eighty degrees, but it somehow started to snow.

Kate turned around, looking at her eyes. Straight at the nicely-clad girl's soul. 

_...I see_

"Please, say something..." Kate didn't realize she was staring at Victoria for quite a while now. 

"You... hurt me. Badly. You know that?" Her voice quite bitter. 

"I... Yes. I'm so sorry. I don't expect forgiveness, I know it's too much, but-" 

"I forgive you." 

"...What? You can't be serious. Just like that? I..." After everything she'd done? Victoria was more than shocked by this statement. 

"I am. God says I shall repent those who sinned against me. You apologized, so I forgive you." She said calmly. 

"But, no, you can't just- You don't want anything?" 

"Well, I do have something in mind..." 

"Anything! Anything at all!" 

"Don't do it anymore. I don't think I could handle that. In fact, don't do it to anyone else, that's all I ask." 

"That's... it? You must be fucking kidding me." Victoria was speechless. Of course she wouldn't do it again, after everything... 

"That's it. And stop cursing." 

"...Ok. Consider it done." 

"Aaaand a hug?" 

"...And a hug." She chuckled, wiping some tears from her face, "You... are an amazing person, Kate Marsh. Don't ever let some other stupid person like me tell you otherwise again." 

"Hey, you're not stupid. Apologizing is really difficult, you know? Maybe a little -forgive me- bitchy, but not stupid." 

"Christ, your pureness is blinding me." And just like that, with a hug, a huge burden lifted from both their shoulders. 

Kate later realized she needed to forgive just as much, if not even more, as she needed to hear the apology. 

Finally, breaking the hug Victoria pointed, "By the way, your collar is really beautiful." 

"Hm?" Looking down, Kate noticed a moth a little below her chin. a genuinelly mesmerizing moth. It's patterns creating optical illusions, labyrinths and more. An explosion of dark yellows and oranges and blacks. 

And it flapped its wings. And flew away through the window into the setting sun, unbothered by the snow. In reality, the flakes seemingly passed right through it. 

"Uuhh... Okay, that was weird. I will... go to my room now. If you need anything, really, just tell me." 

"Sure, goodnight." She waited until she heard Victoria's door close and knelt down, beginning a prayer. 

_Lord, thank You for giving me strenght. Now please, help me truly forgive her. And make it so that she really meant it all. Also, give Your blessings to Max, who..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy, it's chapter six! Sigh, learning the truth can be so fucking hard sometimes. It may seem that the lies are better, but if we hold onto those, we may miss some amazing things in life. Just a little thingy, the truth, no matter how fucking hard, in the long term, is aways better than living a lie. Apologizing, and by proxy forgiving, are one of the toughest things to do. But in the end it's the only option, really. It's the thing that make us human. Holding grudges goes nowhere good.  
> Thank you so much for being here, you guys are awesome! Any thoughts, leave it bellow!  
> 'Till the next chaptah!


	7. Confessionary

Morning came, the sun rising above the horizon in its perpetuous cycle, casting newborn rays across the town. Waking the still shaken Arcadia, getting those chaotic minds off of their beds. 

Birds chirped their early hymns, filling up the Madsen household with a myriad of sounds. Max had been awake for quite a while now. Actually she didn't sleep much, only a few naps here and there, what with her mind so damn full.

_So, that happened. I got both of them arrested. Guess I could check that off my list..._

_But crap, I got careless. Now I'll be the center of all that attention. By now I must have like hundreds of texts and missed calls... Great, just great._

_Hmm, but I guess I should call my parents... Mom's already **her** so this is gonna add up..._

She turned on her back, fixing her gaze at the ceilling.

_Aaand I got a damn 'prison' to find, whatever that is. That snow yesterday... I really want to find this thing before the animals start to die..._

_The Butterfly... What exactly are those Spirits? Why it chose **me** of all people? Uuugh..._

Then, she focused on Chloe, who was tuned to her side, snorting.

_Wowsers... After all this mess, this is the best reward I could get. She looks just so... peaceful_

_...Even though she cried to sleep last night. No one should go through what she did_

_At the cliff... you said you loved me, but do yo-_

"Creepy much, Max-o?" Suddenly, the girl next to her opened her eyes.

"Aaah!" The hipster fell from the bed, a mix of surprise and an attempt to hide her blushing cheeks.

"Hahahahaha, you're ok?" Chloe was amused with her reaction, "This is for you to learn to not stare at people." She stuck out her tongue

"I'm fine. And I wasn't 'staring'" _I totally was_ She said flatly, then assumed a more serious tone, "Hey Clo... I know this is a stupid obvious question, but how are you?"

"Yeah, it **is** a stupid obvious question." Chloe retorted back, with more venom than she meant, "I'm sorry. It's not your fault... I'm- I feel like shit, Max."

"Chloe, you don't have to apologize. Talk to me, please."

"I have nothing to say. I just... she's gone, Max. Just like that. And we can't-" The punk began to cry once again.

"Shh, come here." Max embraced her.

"I... I don't think I'm ever accepting this, Max." Chloe confessed, her voice a whisper coming from Max's shoulder.

"I know. You don't have to, really. It's okay not to be okay, y'know? All we have to do is... is keep moving foward, and... and we'll make her proud."

"...we'll make her proud." With a sniff Chloe wiped her tears, "But for now, you still have to tell me... well, everything."

"This... this is not a happy story, Chloe." Max looked at her eyes, "Are you sure you want everything?"

"I do... yeah, I hella do. You fucking **lived** it, I want to know. Everything."

"Okay... It all started on monday. I had this super-real daydream where I..."

And Max told her everything. About Nathan in the bathroom, about Victoria blocking her path, about Dana and Juliet's drama. About the weed and David, about the snow at the cliff. 

"You saved me from getting shot, their friendship AND my ass from getting busted by stepshit? Damn, Mad Max..." The taller girl said with a smirk.

"Eh, I owned you. Also, you too saved me from Nathan in the parking lot... So, the next day you say to meet you at the Two-Whales..."

Diner, playing with her powers, shooting bottles, Frank, train, Kate's suicide attempt and how she got suspended. The eclipse.

"He did WHAT? You saved this Kate and he got the balls to suspend you? And I thought he was an asshole just with me..." Chloe's face was full of disbelief.

"Imagine what I felt... I admit here I wanted to do something bad, and rewind... but whatever." Then she continued. "So, you sent me a text in the middle of the night to meet you..."

Breaking and entering Blackwell at night, blowing the door, getting clues and money. The pool, crashing at Chloe's (she did hide the dare though), dead birds, Joyce handing the photo. Sneaking in the garage, getting more clues, the fight with David, Joyce making David leave. Getting Frank's keys, entering his RV, getting his account book. At this, Max made a pause.

"What is it?" Chloe asked.

"If you really want everything, I must tell you something that we found about Rachel. And you're not gonna like it, and-"

"Tell me. I want all of it. I mean, if 'that' Chloe knew, I should know too..."

"...Alright. We found out that she and Frank..." Max grabbed Chloe's hands.

Frank's photos with Rachel, Chloe freaking out, their fight.

"She? And Frank? You kidding, right? Rachel was banging Bowers?" Chloe began to get worked up.

"It's true... we never got the details, if she was doing it because of interest of whatever, but they were thogether. To maybe ease you up, Frank really loved her. You... alright?"

"...Not really. I'll have a talk with that dude later. By the way, sorry for lashing out on you..." 

"You had your motives, it's okay. Anyway, so I'm sulking in my room..."

She pulling out the photo, focusing on it and going back to 2008. The day WIlliam was killed. Hiding his keys, he take the bus. The alternative timeline, she being part of the Vortex Club, dead whales, arriving to a fully painted Price Household. William is alive! ...Chloe, in a wheelchair.

"What? Y-You... saw dad?" Chloe's face melted at this.

"I saved him but... but you..." Max's couldn't quite get the words to come out, "You got quadriplegic. You didn't feel a thing from below your neck, and were in so much pain."

"What the serious fuck is wrong with this world?"

"I'm sorry, Chloe. I just couldn't save him, and-" Max let her head fall in her hands.

"Max, stop saying everything is your fault already!" Chloe screamed between tears, "You tried, okay? You did everything you could, it's not your fault!"

"...Isn't it?" She mumbles. "So... we go to the beach. It's full of dead whales..."

The beach, the golden hour. The movie, the chit-chat. The bills, the stress, the pain. So. Much. Pain.

The morphine.

"...you were dying, and felt this excruciating pain all the fucking time, you told me." At this point her story cold only come between sobs, "A-And then you told me to pick the morphine, and..."

"Oh my G- Don't tell me-"

"YOU ASKED ME TO KILL YOU!" Max said, yelling being the only way to bypass the huge lump in her throat, "And I did- I did it! I-I killed you, Chloe..."

"This... How could I... Max, drop it." The punk got quiet, "Do you realize what is needed to make me ask something so horrible from you? Do you?"

"Y-You-"

"You didn't kill me, YOU SAVED ME! One more time! You know what killed me? The fucking accident, the motherfucker who hit my car. THAT'S what killed me!"

_It hurts all the same, Chloe. Saving you or not, I ended your life... After I swore never hurt you again_

"I just hope, with all my strength, that those other timelines get erased... Fuck... so, I took the photo out, and... I have to watch you dad leave once again-"

"Oh! OOHH! I KNEW you were acting strange that day!"

"Yeah, it wasn't a pleasent experience..."

Chloe's room once again, stealing David's files. A visit to Kate. Breaking into Nathan's room, getting his phone. Nathan shows up, Warren beats the crap out of him. Going to Frank's, all the rewinds it took to have a peaceful outcome. Max explicitly pointed out how he got way more cooperative when Rachel was mentioned. Getting his list, back to Chloe's house, putting all the clues thogether.

"Sooo, this Warren boy. Boyfriend?" Chloe asked while evading eye contact.

_You're as subtle as a bulldozer_

"Just a friend. Well, I think he likes me, but he doesn't stand a chance." Mas responded while staring intently at her friend's eyes.

"Uuuhh..." Of course, Chloe had no response.

_Hah, take that. Aren't you the tough one?_

The barn. The side-opening, the Prescott stuff, the locked trapdoor. Breaking the padlock. A stair...case... A bunker... door... 5...4...2...

"Oh God, Chloe, I can't... Sorry, it's just..." She stiffened, while soothing bruises in her wrists that didn't exist, feeling a stinging sensation in her neck. It was all still so fresh for Max, even though it really happened maybe weeks before.

"It's- It's fine, you don't have to say it. I think... I think I get it. Warning Adolf Dildo yesterday must've been so damn hard..." Chloe held the hipster harder against her chest.

"Look, let's just say... He had binders Chloe, of his every victim. In one point in time, I had one too."

"That sick bastard... jail is too easy for that piece of shit." She gritted her teeth so hard it numbed her jaw, "Wait, this happened 'now'?"

"No... this time we found about... about Rachel."

"Fuck..."

"Fuck... I don't think I have to describe your reaction..."

Chloe making the Storm pale before how she stormed out of that building, and towards the junkyard. Digging through dirt, finding who they didn't want to be there. The screaming, the tears, the vomit. The collapsing of a world. Max tell her this was one of the motives she didn't tell Chloe earlier. Bloodshot eyes making an oath to get revenge.

Arriving at the party, Warren asks for a picture, a freaky second moon. Chloe storms into the party. Sneaking into the VIP, talking to Victoria. Nathan send a message. Going back to the junkyard, finding the grave intact. A needle. A gunshot. Nothing else.

While Max took a moment to catch her breath, Chloe is hit by so much shit her friend had been through. How is it possible that Max was still sitting in front of her, telling all of this? And what occupied most of her mind was that it was all because of her. Not in the sense it was her fault, no. Max would fling her into orbit if she thought like that one more time. No, it struck Chloe that someone thought she was important enough to go through hell and more.

"So, I wake up in... that place..."

"Just fast-foward, what happens next?"

"Thanks... David saves me, like I said yesterday. He's a good person Chloe, his worst problem is that he cares too much. But this same problem saved my life..."

"Ok, I get it, fine. I'll behave. Mostly. Well, I'll misbehave less. ...Or try." She managed a smirk. But something in her mind changed about him.

"Hmhm... I'll make sure of it. Okay, the storm had begun, and in order to save you, I steal Jefferson-of-a-bitch's car and drive to the dinner."

"Heh, nice. Woah, hold on, you drove to the dinner in the middle of a tornado? How does that make sense?"

"I called Warren, he said he was there. Remember the photo you got pissed he took? I could use that to back just before the party."

"Oooohhh, clever. I have to point it out. It's not everyday you have a good idea, so- ouch" She got a punch in her shoulder.

"You shut it, it's story time."

Driving to Two-Whales, saving a bunch of people, saving the very Two-Whales. Frank, Pompidou, Joyce and Warren are there, along with people she didn't know. She goes back through the picture.

Convincing Chloe, hiding in their room, warning David. Max finds herself at the beach with Chloe, and the fainting. Max then explain all of her bizarre nightmare the messed up version of herself, people talking backwards. She finally is brought back by Chloe, they're now at the Lighthouse's base, facing the storm.

She said how Chloe asked once again for Max to 'kill' her. How she couldn't. How she tried it all once again. How she tried it all so many times she'd lost count. How it all failed. And how finally Chloe gave her an idea, and how she went back from the photo. And the conversation with her Spirit.

Max told the bluenette everything. And both of their faces and demeanor twisted so many times over all of it. They felt anger, sadness, grief, hate. So much of it. But they also felt happiness sometimes, about how they got thogether again. Hope, for better times.

"And that's basically it. The fucked up stuff that's keeping me awake. At least we have a sliver of chance to stop this tornado..." Tired, the brunette concluded her tale.

"Yea, if we don't do that... it would certainly... **blow**." Oh no.

".......why."

"Hahahaha sorry. Like the anger, it's a defense mechanism. It was a pun or crying once again, and I'm sick of that."

Suddenly Max threw a nearby pillow at her, "Oh yea, so meet **my** defense mechanism!"

"Uh, Max?"

"What- Ahh!" Max ducked to avoid another pillow.

Except it wasn't coming at her. It was stuck mid-air. Wait, no... it was moving. Towards Chloe. In slow-motion.

"Whaaaaaa"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seventh chapter!!! Another one will come by the end of the week. (probably, hopefully)  
> So, we all know these events, maybe some won't like to see a whole chapter of it, but I felt the need to write it down, brushing past it felt wrong...  
> Leave your comments and opinions, love you all!!!  
> 'Till next time.


	8. Discovery

"Whaaaaaa" It took a good while for Max to process what was happening.

The pillow she threw at Chloe was still going away from her, but almost to a crawl. Even some small fluttering in its pillowcase happened in slow-motion.

"Amazeballs! Why didn't you tell me you could do THAT?!" Chloe of course was stupefied by it.

"I-I didn't frigging know!" She pointed, "Wait, don't you dare touch that!" Max grabbed her friend's wrist.

"Uh, why not? It's a pillow..."

"A fucking flying-lagging-pillow-thingy! Are you nuts?"

"Pffft, lagging... Nerd." Chloe verbally poked the smaller girl.

"Oh, if I recall correctly, **you** were the one with aaaall those anime and gaming magazines, you damn punk." Max quipped back.

"Said the one with a polaroid camera, you tiny hipster."

"I'm not 'tiny', you're just a little bit taller, dork!"

"Please, I could fit like ten of you inside my pants, dweeb."

"Oho, wanting to get me inside your pants? Who's the creep now, perv?"

"Ah! I didn't... mean it like **that** "

"Uh-huh, if you say so..."

There was a few seconds of awkwardness, the two pondering what the other could mean. Soon enough, Chloe broke it.

"Max?"

"Hm?"

"I'm gonna poke it."

The pillow had traveled half the distance by now, unconcerned by their bickering.

"Wait, don't-"

Too late, she'd poked it. And the object fell flat on the floor.

"Ehh, weird..." Chloe was caressing her index finger with her tumb.

"What is it? D-Did you feel something?" 

"Gaaahhh, nooooooo, Max look at it!" The punk pointed her finger for Max to see it.

"Oh my God, what? What?" She took the finger in her hand.

**_Frrrt_ **

"..." Max was incredulous this really just happened.

"Pfffft... HAHAHAHAHAHA" And Chloe began to howl with laughter, "I don't- I don't believe you HAHAHAHAHAH, you fell for that!" She dropped to the floor and began to literally roll in an hysterical guffaw.

Max took the pillow and started to hit her rolling friend, "You godamn **_paff_** stupid **_paff_** stinky **_paff_** despicable **_paff_** jerk! I was **_paff_** worried sick **_paff_** about you!" The brunette hit her until all the stuffing came out of the pillow.

_She's a fucking dork, but at least those tears are happy ones_

"I- HAHAHAHA oh, my stomach- HAHAHAHA, It hurts HAHAHAHA." After a few minutes she finally calmed down a little, panting, "Fuck, I almost peed myself here. D-Dud- pfffft- Dude, it's a pillow, nothing happened."

"It was floating RIGHT THERE!" Max said while flailing her arms to where it happened. "And you say nothing happened?!"

"Well, I did feel some sort of impact, I guess." Then and ideia struck her, "Oooh, I see. It's like, you put some form of -excuse me- time _field_ in it. So it was slower, but maintained the energy you gave when you threw it?"

"Geez... continue with the jokes and you will run short on pillows." She gave a little sigh, "And how could you know that?"

"Dunno, just wondering. See, all those anime and gaming magazines were useful."

"I mean, I guess I kinda felt 'something' from it. Wowsers, you're actually making sense? Where's the real Chloe?"

"Har har. C'mon, give it a try." She gave Max a random shoe she found on the floor, "Throw this at me."

"Woah, you never laundry? This thing smell like and oldman's armpit. And I'm not using my powers on you, dumbass."

"Okay, come on now. Look at this place," She did a spin with open arms, showcasing the room, "Do you **really** think I even knew this thing was there? And just do it, woman u- **_poff_** Ow, hey!"

"What? You told me to throw it." Max said with a snicker.

"First, I wasn't ready-"

"That was actually the point."

"-And second, it's for you to do the slowed thing again."

"Thing is, I don't know how."

"Oh Max, years of television didn't teach you anything? Just... focus and... use the Force and shit."

"I don't have Force, or telekinesis... But whatever, here goes nothing" Max picked the shoe.

_Okay Caulfield, concentrate. Alright, how the hell am I going to do that with Chloe bouncing right in front of me?_

"Chloe, calm down, will you? This whole focus thing can't happen if you're distracting me."

"Ow man, my best-friend have super-powers, how can I **not** be excited?"

"Just... go be excited behind me then." The brunette pointed to her back

"Fine, okay... Damn, they get powers and get all bossy." She faux-murmured.

" _Sigh_ "

Max lifted the shoe up, gave it a little squeeze. Then she began to look intently at it, really taking all its details in. As she was doing so, she felt _something_ running through her arm in the direction of her hand. Like this small jolt of electricity, a presence she couldn't quite discern. And she felt how some sort of invisible bubble formed around the object, changing it imperceptibly. And somehow, somehow she knew it was time. She didn't see anything, didn't hear anything, but she knew. She'd altered the flowing of time around it.

So she threw it, as hard as she could.

And it happened just like the pillow. It began its trajectory and, as if there was something resisting the motion, it slowed. But it continued in its path, the laces lazily fluttering.

"Woooooo, that's AWESOME!" Chloe cheered.

"Yeeea, it's kinda cool..." Max humbly stated.

"'Kinda'?! Dude, look at this thing! Anyway, now for the real test..." The blue-haired girl made to grab it.

"No, uuh... I think I threw it a little too hard? So careful, I guess."

"Bah, how strong could you-" She began, all the while taking the thing in her hand.

**_POFF_ **

"OUCH! My fucking hand..." The shoe dropped to her feet, "Damn Max, do you lift?... Hey, look my hand"

"I'm not falling for tha-"

"No, I mean it, its all red. As if I tried to grab a normal shoe someone threw." The girl showed the mark on her hand to Max.

"Oh, so it proves the thing you said?" The brunette noticed, "Great, I guess? I mean, for a superpower its kinda useless, right? Tossing things in slow motion, waiting for bad guys to hit their faces in my shoes..." She said sarcastically, then made jazz-hands, "Yeeeey. Go me."

"Oh come on, you can't see the potential? What if you can **rewind** around something specific, huh?"

"...Oh. Oh! That... That would be actually incredible. Or... Or making something go faster?"

"Damn right! Oh, we're so going to play with it!" She was jumping in excitement with the thought.

"Maybe... but I guess I should head back to Blackwell..."

"Why? I mean, after what happened yesterday..."

"Yeah, no, we don't have classes for the week, but did you have a look at my phone? I had to turn the sound off last night, the thing seems to be almost exploding." She then fake-shivered, "I should go and _brrrr_ talk to people."

"Shit, don't say you became a popstar with all of this..."

"Sadly... my quiet days are gone. Besides, the police are still gathering testimonies, and they... want to talk to me and all that stuff."

"Crap... so, you're... going now?" There was some sadness in her voice. After everything, no one really would want to be alone.

"Hey, I still need a ride, and an amazing company." Max smiled.

"Well, I may have the first, but I'm not sure about the second..." Chloe did that self-deprecating thing she got used to so much after the years.

"Yup, the amaz-est." But Max wasn't having any of it.

"I... don't think that word exists, Maximus."

"It does **now**. You're the amaz-est person I know." And Max smiled that smile that could break any defense. That honest, so sincere smile that screamed 'I fucking mean it!' to Chloe. And the taller girl blushed. And her heart unknowingly fastened its pace.

* * *

They got to Blackwell, and both of them nearly running somehow managed to get to Max's room undetected. People were mostly hanging out in their classrooms, waiting for their time to talk with the police or making company to those; or not on campus at all, the mood still quite unpleasant to be around the place.

"Hey, it's just me or this place is a lot quieter than it should be?" Reaching Max's hallway Chloe pointed.

"Knowing a murderer gave you lectures probably made people want to stay away from here... Also, it's tuesday, they're teenagers and have no class, so..."

"Eh, kinda gloomy air."

_Hmmm, maybe I should amaze her more_

With that thought in mind she opened the door, and closed it behind her, to her friend's surprise. Then, she rewound.

**@**

"...omy air. Wait, Max?!"

"Welcome to my domain." The hipster said, opening the door.

"You're magic! I have no clue how the hell you got in there, but you did it, sista!" Chloe exclamed, "Damn, seeing this first-hand is so much cooler than when you told me!"

"Wow, those where your exact words when I opened the office." Max pointed out, giggling.

"Really? Hm, that's kinda freaky... Anyway, will you let me in your mighty lair or not, Caufield?"

"And what on Earth are you still doing there? You're supposed to be a punk, do you expect a formal invitation?" Max smirked.

"Oho, five years in Seattle got you sassy?" Chloe stepped inside the room, "Dang, this is hippie."

"No shit, I thought that was stablished long ago?" She said while sticking her tongue out.

"Yes, but I didn't think that-" She finally looked at Max's bedside wall, "Holy shitballs! You took these?"

"Y-Yes, it's... nothing..."

"Puh-leeze! Max, this is hella amazing! No wonder you won that contest in the alternate timeline!"

"I mean... yeah, but..."

"No buts, except your cute one, you got some insane talent. Period."

"...Thanks. For the talent thing too." Blushing, she was getting embarassed by the minute, but still had to take the opportunity, "Anywho, I should talk to the police now. Sorry to bring you here and then leaving you alone..."

"'S'alright, it's not like I had better things to do. You care if I snoop around?"

"Sure, because you would definitely not do it, right?"

"Hey! I might have changed my ways, you never know!"

"..." Max cocked one eyebrow.

"...Yeah, even I don't believe that."

"That's good. And go ahead, but try to not shred eveything apart. Much. I'll be right back, or I wish so."

"See ya, Maxi-pad." Even with her back turned to Chloe, she could see the other girl's smirk.

"And don't call me that!" She said from behind the door.

* * *

_Ben Howard, Syd Matters... freaking vinils... For reals Max, you really went deep into hipster lane._

She'd been poking around Max's stuff for a few minutes, shuffling through her clothes, picking her cds. It's an unsupervised Chloe, she looked at everything she could, really.

_But I guess that's what you get when you live in Starbucks Town for five years. Now way! She still got Captain!_

She snatched the teddy bear from the bed and sat on the couch.

_Oh, she plays the guitar? Is it weird that I really want to hear her sing? I mean, she got a beautiful... voice..._

_...Yea, I'm making this weird._

_Though, she **is** flirting back... Isn't she? Or am I just getting this all wrong?_

_Alright, time to get your shit straight, Price. Do you like Max?_

She looked around, to Max's photos, her posters, her hippie lights. The moment one entered the room it shouted 'Hello, I'm Max Caulfield!". And Chloe loved it all.

_Fuck, I like her. But she just came back to me, can I really give it a shot?..._

_Heh, guess I'm not really getting my shit **straight** , huh? HUH? Mental high-five!_

_**Knock knock** _

_Oh, thank God. Sometimes even **I** don't stand myself_

"M-Max? I thought I heard your voice, can I come in? I could be sort of getting crazy right now." Said a petite voice behind the door.

Chloe opened the door, "Hey."

"Hm, you're not Max." The blonde scolded herself mentally for stating the obvious.

"Your eyes work well." The bluenette replied with a snicker, "Max left a few minutes ago to talk to the police, will come back as soon as they're done. You are?"

"I'm her friend, Kate. Kate Marsh. You?"

_Kate? That Kate?_

"Uh... C-Chloe, Chloe Price. We were childhood friends before she left for Seattle. We just reconected."

_Crap, don't stutter, godamnit, she could notice_

"It's you? She told me plenty of you!" Luckly, Kate didn't notice the change in her voice. Or at least pretended not to.

_She did?_

"She did? Hmm, maybe you could come in? She'll be right back, and any of Max's friends are my friends. If you want to, of course."

"Sure, the same goes to you." Kate said with the purest of smiles.

_I want to destroy those fuckers so much more, now that I see the smile they attempted to ruin_

Chloe went to sit on the chair, while Kate sat down on the couch. The air was filled with that 'well, you're friends with my friend, so maybe we should try to be friends?' sort of thing. A slightly unconfortable silence, followed by neither really wanting to look at the other in the eyes, but nothing too bad. They knew this feeling wouldn't last.

"So, fess up Katie." She decided to break the ice, "Unless it's something between you two, of course, but if you want to say what you came here to, I'm all ears. And a mouth. And blue hair. Well, you get the gist."

"Hmm, for the record, it's probably nothing. It must be the stress, or the mood around here, I guess..." The christian girl fiddled with her hands a bit.

"Hey, it's alright, I'm not gonna judge you or whatever. In fact, I'm queen of stress and crazy shit, so..."

"Whew... Fine, uuh... I think I'm seeing things?" The smaller girl conceded.

"Dude, I told you your eyes are working just fine."

"I see you still got your old playfulness?"

"I'll take that as a compliment." Chloe made fingerguns, "And I'll have a word with Max, what was she thinking spreading stories about my 'playfulness' all around."

"Well, it was actually a polite way to insult you." The small girl giggled

"Hey! You sneaky bastard, now I am **so** insulted. Alright, what do you mean by seeing things?"

"You know... things that... aren't supposed to be there."

"Got it. Yea, it really could be stress, with... you know, everything."

"I thought like that, but it's getting so vivid. I was shrugging it off, until this morning."

"What happened?" Knowing Kate's backstory, Chloe was really concerned. Kate got her absolute full attention.

"I was taking a little walk, and got just outside the building, when suddenly I see this weird moth -I had seen it before, yesterday, it's truly... magnific, I would say. It, hmm..." She was looking away, gripping her knees, "Y-You promise you won't laugh, or anything?"

Chloe had taken the chair to the middle of the room by now, they both face to face.

"Hell no, this is clearly bothering you, go on. I promise."

"So it, hmm... It morphed into Max? She waved at me, and then pointed to the Tobanga -the totem just outside. She just kept staring at me for a while, and then she walked to it, and, hmm... pointed to diferent parts of it?"

"The To- Dude, this moth, it seemed really, **really** odd?"

"I guess. I've never seen a moth just like that, or anything, really."

_**"...something old and hidden in plain sight."** _

_**OLD and hidden in PLAIN SIGHT."** _

_Fucking shit! The- The Tobanga! OF COURSE!_

_That bastard Wells always said to not touch it, how it was ancient. He said the thing was there way, waaay before the guy who built the school was even born._

_And, and... plain sight! I just fucking walked there and didn't even blink!_

_T-This moth... Maybe Kate's...?_

"Chloe? See, I told you, it's crazy." She misinterpreted Chloe's staring.

"Not as much as you think... Kate, can I ask you something?"

"Uh, maybe?"

"You have like, a pet, or something you have to take care...?"

"Hm, I have Alice, my rabbit. Why do you ask?"

"Great, try to visualize it in front of you."

"Visualize it?"

"Yeah, like focus really hard on it, as if you could manifest Alice right here. It's- It's just a research I'm doing, can you help me?"

_This is a really wild guess, but... Kate, maybe you're actually seeing things. And you made them_

"Weeeird... research? But alright..."

Kate concentrated as hard as she could, frowning her forehead and everything. It amused Chloe a bit because she seemed like a cute little angry puppy. But then all oxygen got stuck in her chest, as a translucid thing materialized before her.

"Chloe! Chloe! Can you see this?!" Kate pointed at it, scared that she was really going crazy.

"Holyfuckingshit I do! Hmm, try to... stick your hands like this." She motioned the way Max told she did when rewinding.

As the blonde girl did this and thought harder at her pet, the small transparent bunny began to take form. It went more and more 'real', until eventually it was a full rabbit, hopping about the room.

"Holy... shit..." Were the only words Chloe was capable of muttering right now.

"Holy shit..." And Kate Marsh allowed herself a little cursing too, way too dumbfounded to think about anything else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boom, take that, it's chapter 8!   
> And it's a super-chapter, our girls are finding some new stuff about themselves and what really they can do, Chloe is going all superhero trainer on them... And well, accepting she can't really lie to herself about how she feels about Max. But damn, this actually make things harder, now she'll have to do something about it.  
> Thank y'all, you are so fucking great! Anything you want to say, leave down below!  
> See you around!


	9. Buried Memories

Outside one of the rooms being used by the police, stood nervously a teenage girl. Max had been thinking that nothing bad would happen, they'd just ask a few questions, but it had no effect on easing her anxious brain. She wasn't **supposed** to know the answers, what the hell she was going to say?

_Okay Max, what am I going to tell them? What **can** I tell them? _

_Shit, I so don't want to do this... They didn't really told me to come here today... But I guess it's gonna happen eventually..._

_Alright, hmm... I can do this. Yeah, c'mon Caulfield, just get this over with so we can go back to Chloe faster_

She knocked on the door.

"Come in." Said a strong male voice from inside.

Stepping in, she gladly noticed how it was totally not like the movies. It actually felt a little weird. 

First of all, due to the amount of people, they'd been doing this thing right inside the school, rather than the police station. It was just more practical. And well, the station of Arcadia Bay was way past its... prime, one would say.

Second, the room was well lit, the sun warmed the place, a few policemen were talking among themselves in the back of the room. The atmosphere was of _chill_ and it gave a little rest to her mind, even though she had absolutely no reason to be restless. She was no criminal, much on the contrary.

Sat on the teacher's desk was one giant of a man. Around 1,95m and 120kg, higly muscular, bald and wearing a wealthy beard, Max was pretty damn sure this guy's ancestors were bears. It was almost funny how he tried to fit himself atop the (for him tiny) chair, and failed miserably. Almost, if she wasn't freaking out that his arms were probably thicker than her head.

"H-Hello. I-I am-" Max approached, hesitantly.

"Maxine Caulfield, yes? I heard plenty of you, your colleages all told me how brave you were." He gave her a conforting smile, "Please, have a sit." The man pointed to the chair in front of him.

And then she saw his eyes. Green eyes of a profound, reasuring calm. Eyes that told her everything was going to be just fine. And for a moment she believed it. She believed there was no Jefferson, no storm, no drama. For a tiny little moment she was just amused by the contrast.

_How's that even possible? The rest of him looks ready to hulk out, it... doesn't add up_

"Please just Max, Officer...?" She said on auto-pilot.

"Victor, just Victor. I've been sent by the Central in Portland to take care of this case. Please try to relax, only a few questions and you're free to go, ok?"

"O-Ok."

"So, this whole incident in the classroom, people said you had his gun and phone, and you once gave a warning shot to keep him in place, is that correct?"

"Y-Yes, but I... I mean..." 

_I- how am I going to explain that? 'Oh yea, I went back in time with his things so he didn't have it'. I'm so fuck-_

"All I had to hear, I was just double-checking everything we've heard so far."

"Hm? B-But-" Max was visibly surprised.

"Look, this isn't an interrogation. Indeed you had his things, and maybe what you did to get it wasn't legal, but just between us?" Victor dropped his voice to a whisper... which still boomed across the place, "I couldn't fucking care less."

"So... what do you want to ask me?"

"Well, while we see it's irrelevant how you held him up, we have to know how did you know about his schemes."

"You mean how I- Well, I... investigated, and..." 

The girl held her head down, fiddled with her hands. And the man interpreted that as a sign that she was thinking about some really painful memories, stuff she didn't want to talk about. And damn, he was spot on, except it was worse.

"No, let me rephrase. You told Mr. Madsen about some binders, and we found -sadly- lots of it. From girls as far as Seattle, to your fellow colleague Kate Marsh. As well as an empty one marked for Victoria Chase. You remember these things?"

"I-I do. What... about it?" Max was visibly shaking now.

"Max, in one of the drawers, we found... another binder. With your name on it." He placed the red binder on the desk.

_What? He- He still had a binder for **me**? That motherfucker, he..._

_Fuck, he said to me I was his primary target. I didn't enter the contest yet but still... could_

_Fuck... FUCK! H-He... had stuff like these in advance?!_

"I..." With trembling hands she picked that disgusting, filthy object. Just the mere thought that **he** once touched it sent a wave of nausea through her body.

"Max... please look at me." She lifted her head, her vision already getting blurry, "Max, this binder... once had photos on it?" And the blurriness became waterfalls.

_**"This angle highlights your purity, see? The slightly unconscious model is often the most open and honest. No vanity or posing just... pure expression."** _

Jefferson was above her, spilling nonsense and taking her pictures. Grinning, eyeing her like a true psychopath.

_**"Hold that stare there! Stay still!"** _

He was touching her, kept repositioning her and she hated it. God, she hated it. She hated how she couldn't move or he would immediately explode on her face. She hated how she was so numb she couldn't move, period.

_**"Now don't move, or this will... hurt... much"** _

Max still felt the prick in her neck, that alien liquid rushing through her veins. She hated. She fucking hated it all, but it... happened.

"...yes." The girl managed, before the sobbing became too strong. It... happened. In another timeline, yes, but there's just no way someone could forget all of it. Not on this lifetime. It fucking happened and ironically she couldn't undo it, ever. It once happened, the way she had to search for photographs were she was more concious, how she had to control herself to not vomit while hearing his voice, it was all burned in her soul. "y-yes, it... yes..."

She'd been trying to be strong. She rewound a lot of weeks, saw so much death. She really tried to buckle it all up so as to not fuck things up anymore, but this is... too much. Way too much. Max still remembered vividly how lifeless her eyes looked, how it felt to be restrained in a chair while someone took pictures of her. She felt naked in that room, Jefferson predatorily eating her soul away with flashes of his camera.

And it's way too fucking much, so she let it all out.

"Jesus, no... I'm so- I'm so sorry, Max." The man rushed to her side and knelt before her, holding Max up, her limbs suddenly powerless, her body shaking while sobs and and tears and screams made their way out of her system, "Shhh... It's... okay. You are safe now. You saved your friends, you brought justice to his victims. You're a true hero, Max."

"I don't- I... I don't feel like... a h-hero." The brunette said between bawling and snot and pain, and clutched this huge man as hard as she could.

"I know." It's the only thing he said, and it's true. She's just another victim. "You can go, kiddo. Take a rest, try to forget all of this." He knew she wouldn't, not really.

* * *

She'd been to the bathroom, spent some minutes there trying to calm herself down. The place still smelled like Chloe's blood, the water still tasted like gunpowder, but Max was able to splash some water in her face, take a few deep breaths. Looked at her swollen eyes.

_Dog, that was awful... Victor seemed like a good person, but he... brought up some really bad stuff. At least that's dealt with..._

_...I guess. Okay, I really need some Chloe-time right now._

She quickly left the building, doing the best she could to ignore all the staring on her way out. Halfway to the dorms she heard a familiar voice.

"Max? Hey, Max!" Warren shouted from behind her.

"Hey, Warren." Max quickly wiped some fresh tears with her arm.

"Hey, I've been looking for- Are you crying?"

"I... Yeah, I just... talked to the police."

"Oh, shit. Do you want to... talk about it?" The boy offered.

"No, believe me this is the last thing I want right now." She said, a little more sharply than she intended.

"O-Of course, yea. Sorry, it was thoughtless of me." Then he got visibly more nervous, "L-Look, don't get this wrong, the last thing on my mind now is to... But hey, if you want to get this stuff out of your mind, I got new wheels, and some tickets to-"

_He's still going on with that?!_

"No, Warren. No, I'm not interested, okay? Jesus, can't you see I'm not up for a date right-freaking-now?" She yelled.

"Like I said, I wasn't thinking on a date... this time. I just thought maybe it could help you, but yeah fuck me for caring." The nerd boy turned to leave, really hurt at this.

_N-No... He didn't even ask me yet in this timeline... He clearly just want to help, and I exploded on him. Big hero I am._

**@**

"...some tickets to a-"

"Warren, I... Thank you, but I'm not in the mood for anything." Max cut him off, but softer this time.

_Am I a bad person doing this? I'm... kind of manipulating him. Still, he's a good friend, Warren don't deserve to be on the receiving end of my stress_

"S-Sure, ok. If you change your mind, you know who to call..." Warren gave a halfhearted smile.

"Ghostbusters?"

"No, Max, you call them if there's something strange in your neighbou... Hm, you know what, I think this applies." He congratulated himself in his mind, getting a chuckle out of Max.

_Oh, you have no idea Warren._

_But I really have to talk to you regarding... date stuff. Or how I don't want to have date stuff with you... In a less bitchy way, hopefully._

The walk back to the dorms had less bumps, but more people than when she came with Chloe. There was a lot of staring, gossiping. Max tried her best to not be bothered, but couldn't quite help getting a little anxious about it.

Finally, she got to her room, and heard people talking from behind the door.

"...azing! Make it jump!" She heard an excited Chloe.

_Chloe's with someone?_

Stealthly opening the door, she found two girls looking at something in the ground, away from her.

"By the way, is your bunny catholic like you?" She heard Chloe tease.

"No, you silly, she's a bunny." Kate replied flatly.

"Oh, I mean, er..."

"She's obivously agNOSHtic." The blonde beamed, and Chloe howled in laughter.

"Guys?" Max called.

"Max! Look what I found, can we keep her?" The punk received a bump in her shoulder, "Wait, were you... Fuck, it was that bad?"

"Hey, I said no swearing." Kate chipped in, but rapidly got a hold in the situattion, "Max? Is everything okay?"

"Yea, it was as bad as I thought it would be... But I'm fine, I guess." She gave a shrug.

_Yea no, not fine..._

"Fu- udge no, you're not." Chloe changed it, with a stare from Kate, and looped one arm behind Max, "But, my dear photo-nerd, we got two things that might cheer you up."

"Which are?"

"The Tobanga." Both of them said at the same time.

"...the... Tobanga? Woohoo, this is **really** pumping me up." She said with half-lidded eyes, her face a mask of cynicism.

"No, Max. The Tobanga. Something old. Hidden. Prison thing?" Chloe explained, with a knowing smirk.

"Something... old. The Tobanga! Of- Of course! How did you...?"

"Not me, Kate. She told me."

"Kate? Care to explain?"

"Yea, hm... It seems I... got powers too?" She said, and materialized yet another bunny, right in front of Max.

"Holy... shit..." And Max went through the reaction the duo knew all too well, having experienced it just moments ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 9! Well, Max talked to the police, but this flipped something she didn't really wanted to touch... She also make plans to end poor Warren's suffering, sometime. And yea, she's into our polar-opposing duo thoughts now, let's see what all of them are going to do about it...
> 
> Next one comes hopefully by the end of the week, as I always strive for, thank you all SO much for taking your time reading this, it means a lot! Any thoughts or tips, leave a comment, 'till next time!


	10. The Plan

"Kate? What's... what's going on?" Max asked flabbergasted, still eyeing the made-up pet.

"Well, I came here to talk to you, but you were away, so Chloe let me in and-" Kate began to gabble, a weird action of the usualy quiet girl, but understandable as she was still shaken with this whole situation.

"Long story short, we found out Katie has powers, and I told her you have too." Chloe cut the other girl off, like she'd done quite a few times by now.

"You know I can...?"

"Rewind... time? Chloe said you've lived this week before?. To be honest, I still don't believe it, but..." The blonde emphasized this by making a little golden cross appear in her hands.

"Max! Dude, do some time-thing!" Chloe jumped in.

"Hm, alright." She looked around for a bit, "'Kay, see that cushion?" She pointed to a random cushion in her bed.

"Yes?" The other two said.

"No, you don't." Max smirked.

"Wait, what?" They were both stunned, as the object suddenly disappeared, "Woah. Nice hat Kate." Chloe looked to the other girl and let a chuckle.

"Ha- Sweet Jesus! How did you do this?" She realized, when the cushion fell from the top of her head.

"I just took it, placed on you and rewound time." The brunette explained with a shrug. It felt so weird how these words came so naturally out of her mouth.

"This is... so much..." Kate said, slightly out of breath.

"This is nothing but the tip of a really weird iceberg, Lady Jesus. Anyway, what we gonna do about Tobanga?"

"Can't we just... go there?" Kate suggested.

"No, we can't risk being caught by Wells, he would-" Max replied, and looked at Chloe, "Uh oh. Please don't tell me you..."

"Hehehe, I have an idea." Chloe was grinning from ear to ear.

The other two girls let a long, lound sigh.

"Hey! My ideas are really good. Most times."

"Ok, fine, tell us. But be ready to run Kate."

"I am mentally preparing myself." The blonde smiled.

"Yo, don't judge a book by its really hot cover, you two." The punk said, getting Kate of guard, and a blush from the photographer, "'Aight, here goes..." And she proceeded to tell the two of them her -self titled- awemazintastic plan.

* * *

**Max:** You sure this is going to work, Clo?  
**Kate:** Yea, I don't think I can do that D:

Madsen household. After discussing the details of their plan, the Price girl came back grab some stuff, take a shower, do some research. Prepare for the things to come. Or that's what she told them.

 **Chloe:** first things first NO EMOJI  
**Chloe:** and of course you can  
**Kate:** How?  
**Chloe:** cuz i said so  
**Max:** And why do you think we should do that?

_Damn, have some confidence..._

**Chloe:** remember what Kate said?  
**Chloe:** the moth thing pointing and all that sht?  
**Chloe:** it gave me some ideas  
**Chloe:** now you two go back to test it up  
**Chloe:** yer cap'n got thin's t' do  
**Max:** Aye Aye, Captain Bluebeard!  
**Kate:** Hmm  
**Kate:** Ahoy?  
**Chloe:**...  
**Chloe** you got so much to learn  
**Kate:** Hey! That was definitely pirate-y  
**Max:** Kate... That was bad  
**Kate:** T-T  
**Chloe:** NO EMOJI  
**Chloe:** and remember to bring the stuff

But in truth she really just needed some alone time. A moment to drop her tough mask, to mourn. Mourn Rachel. She knew she didn't have to wear it before the other two, but also knew that if Max was close the brunette would try, would **make** she fell better in the slightest sign of sadness, probably Kate too. Yet Chloe, just for a bit, the girl wanted sad. She wanted to miss her friend, and fuck how she missed her. She wanted to curse, to shiver in face of Max's messed up story.

So the punk tossed her phone on her bed, her aching throat holding back a sob. In silence she entered the bathroom, took her clothes off. Stepped into the shower, and unable to hold up any longer, she let the water fall. Then she turned the shower on.

About half an hour passed, the blue haired girl returned to her room.

"Shit... I ain't ever admitting this, but... that was kinda cleansing." Chloe glanced to her phone, 10:19 AM, "Crap, I don't have much time."

She quickly got dressed, with the less stinky clothes she could find, stuffed her phone, cigarettes and keys in her pants and rushed downstairs.

"Knife, knife... no this won't work." She fumbled with the drawers, "Oh, there we go. Now, stepass better have a stepladder."

Entering the garage, she noticed how much... tidier? it was from before.

_Maybe all that paranoid shit he got will be gone now... Right._

"Dude, you got a toolbox the size of a fridge, but no stepladder?" She was looking at corners, behind piles of junk... "Come oooon..." On top of the cupboards, inside the cabinets, "This is just not possible, a freak like him sho-" Below his 'desk' "Finally! Why the hell is this thing here?" She quickly picked it up, ran to the truck and floored the pedals.

* * *

Meanwhile, inside Arcadia Bay's police station.

"No, dad, I don't- Yes, I know I had to 'secure' it or whatever, but-" A boy spoke on the phone. Or rather, he listened while the man on the other side of the glass scolded him. "I tried! That stupid thing didn't budge!" Nathan shuddered before his dad's gaze. And what that told him was that Sean couldn't care less about his jailtime, but rather their 'legacy', 'heritage', and similar synonyms.

"No, she- I don't think- No, I mean- I DON'T KNOW!" As soon as the red-faced boy screamed these words, he instantly shrinked. Interrupting AND raising his voice to his dad was definitely a no-no, "Sorry! I'm sorry, dad. Please, don't- I didn't mean it! Dad... please, get me out of here and I'll make up for you, I swear. What do you mean you can't? You said you could buy this fucking place! Dad! Please, don't leave me he-" But the older man had hung up and left the room.

"FUCK!" back in his cell, Nathan kicked the nearby bed.

"Well, well... I see that sucked. I guess daddy can't buy yout way out of here." A bearded man smile from behind his glasses.

"SHUT UP! This is your fault!" He pointed at Jefferson.

"It wasn't **me** who killed Rachel. You really tought you could mimic the works I took years to master? So naive..."

"I- I didn't **want** to kill her, she-"

"And yet you did."

"You... you'll see. I'm getting out of this fucking place, I-"

"Oh, that's for sure, foolish boy. Once they do some diagnostics you will probably spend the rest of your days in a madhouse. Oh, excuse me, now it's 'mental health facilities', right?" The man adjusted his glasses on his nose, snickering.

"F-Fuck you. Fuck you! I trusted you, I thought we-" 

"Place your trust in better places next time. Well, you won't **have** a next time, but I think you got it." Jefferson interrupted him once again, "Now be quiet, you're making this place even worse with that stupid voice of yours." He turned away in his bed, leaving Nathan alone with fresh tears in his eyes.

* * *

"Max? You guys there?" Chloe said while opening the door.

"Shh." She heard whispers, but the room was empty.

"C'mon, Timefield and Marshmallow. I heard you guys." She said while placing the stepladder on the floor.

"...No you didn't!"

"Fiiine. Oh no. The room is empty, what am I going to do now?" She made sure to drag every syllable.

"Boo!" The two of them jumped from behind the illusion. It was some sort of air-curtain, if you looked close enough you could see wrinkles and vibrations in thr image, but from afar Max's room was perfectly normal.

"So it really worked?" Chloe smiled.

_I better start building my Chloe Institute for Higher Learning... I'm not on a wheelchair, so I'm better than Xavi- No wait. Oh, shit!_

"Chloe, you're a genius!" Max gave her a hug, "How did you know it was possible?"

"Well, if Katie can make illusions, I tought she could make a... screen?"

"I have to really focus, though. If I don't I lose track of the thing I'm visualizing."

"Fair enough. We're all set guys?"

"Yea, we got the dirt, seeds and water. You still didn't say why, Che."

"You'll see. Hm, probably. I think you better pray for it, Kate."

"I did, actually. Max told me that really bad things could happen if we don't get this right?"

"Spot on. Just so that you are on par, I'm basing this all in some old Native legends, okay? So if everything goes to shit it's not really **my** fault."

"Chloe! Language!" 

"Oh shit, sorry Kate. Oh fuck, I said shit again. Ah! I better stop talking." Chloe scratched her head, eliciting a sigh from the blonde girl, "Anyway... How do you know those legends?" Kate asked.

"Ha! She's a nerd, Kate. You can't see it behind the cigarette breath but it's there."

"Hey! You're the nerd, nerd! I just... got free time. May I continue the lesson?"

"Go ahead."

"So, the thing on top is definitely a Thunderbird. Legends say it could move the skies and rumble the land. Its totem was used to summon the weather, call for strenght, power, etc. Or, -insert moody music here- seal something between heaven and earth. It also represents wind." She didn't spare with hand motions and theatrical gestures.

"So now we're absolutely sure it's the right thing." Max commented.

"Yep. Below it someone painted a dog face, but it's irrelevant. I think the guy who did it got expelled and arrested?" Getting out of trail, she waved it off, "Anyway, the next thing is what I think as a whale. There's a biparted tail behind the thing, it must be. A whale is a strong animal, there's not many things capable of eating it, so it truly rules the oceans. It represents water."

"And... Chloe! The dying whales! They probably had died because the Spirit had to break free of this thing." The brunette pointed, making Kate tilt her head to the side, "Oh, sorry Kate. It's a long story, for another time."

"And exactly what I thought, Max." Chloe resumed her explanations, "Then there's the representation of a man, pretty self-explanatory I guess. Last, there's something that ressembles me of a squirrel. I guess it could represent earth, or wildlife? I don't have much on them, but-"

"But Samuel's always talking about how they talk and all that. Maybe they're just as important as the other things." Kate noted, making the other two give weird looks towards her, "What? I think every one had their, hm... freaky conversation with him. But I believe he's a good guy. And with all this stuff maybe he's not as 'weird' as people say he is."

"Preach it, sistah! He's like Log Lady, weird, really weird. But cool."

"But why we need these things?" Max shook the bag with dirt and seeds for effect.

"Not sure we're going to use'em, but they're offerings, except for the man. I think we don't have to offer anything to 'ourselves', but rather prove we're... well, human. Somehow. And water is for whale, soil and seeds for the squirrel..."

"And... what about the bird?" Kate asked.

"Tobacco."

"Tobacco?!" The two of them asked.

"Tobacco. Well... I'll cut open a cigarette, but I think it's the thought that counts. The natives offered tobacco for the Thunderbirds, as a peace-offering I guess." She shrugged, "Hey Max, how much left?"

"It's... 11:13 right now." She said after looking at her phone, "It happened a couple of minutes after K-"

"After Kory called you, right? Yeah, I got it." The punk gave one stealthy look at Max, who actually bite her tongue for almost slipping something like that.

"This eclipse is really going to happen? It's tied with the snow from yesterday?" The blonde questioned.

"Yea, it's happening. And we're using it in our favor, sailors." Chloe said, rubbing her hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 10! ...Late. Really late.
> 
> Here they're all quite set up for getting their plan going, with some explanations by teacher Price. Will everything go smoothly as planned? Will the world collapse in a bright fireball because our punk was wrong? Dun-dun-duuuun. You hang in there.
> 
> Uhh, so I've been sick guys, I'm really sorry to take this long. I'd say I have a pretty good immune system, so when something goes through it, damn it's going to be hell. And it **was**. And I had to keep up with homework on top of that, so yea, hella hell. I'm still having fevers but I'm better now, I'll try to get back on tracks.
> 
> Alrighty, thank y'all, leave your comments, and see you around. And sorry, again D:
> 
> P.S.: I'm basing some of these things in real stuff, whilst adding my own of course. Native Americans really did offer tobacco to the Thunderbirds, for example.


	11. The Totem

Blackwell Academy. Prescott Dormitories. Max's room.

"Alright girls, let's get set." Chloe said, "But first, I think you should take a picture, Max."

"So we can 'reset'?" Max asked, geting a nod from Chloe, "I mean, do you really think I should? Last time..." She trailed off.

"Last time was an entirely different matter. You went back years, and changed a... major... event, I guess." She looked away, "Just... take it, okay?"

"...Fine. Come here, both of you." Max gestured to the other two and raised her camera. "Say cheeeese!" With a whirring sound the camera spat a photo, which Max shook.

"You know... photography surely is a **developing** hobby." The punk smiled a toothy smile.

"Uuugh." The other two girls grunted.

"And... well, you'll have to deal with a lot of **crop** in this career..."

"Chloe, please. **Shutter** up!" Max grinned.

"Jeez. Aren't you a bit of a **snapper**?"

"Oh, c'mon."

"Guys..." Kate seemed serious, "Please, this is important, right?"

"Y-Yea, sorry, I was just-" Chloe began.

"So let's not lose **focus** and get this thing done."

"Katie!" Max faux-stomped, while Chloe howled in laughter, "Even you? Don't fuel this dork's dorkiness."

"What can I say," Said dork shrugged, "I'm a **pun** -k."

After a few more minutes of bickering with each other, they finally got to the courtyard. It was raining outside, just like Max remembered, but she'd told them it would be short lived, so they stood in the cover of the dorms front-steps. Max also noticed how eerily quiet it was, save the sound of multiple raindrops splashing against surfaces.

_A complete contrast... When Kate- When she-... It was an absolute chaos down here. People were screaming, and crying... Hell, **I** was screaming and crying..._

_And here we are. People are either chilling in their rooms, or somewhere else. This is so freaking weird._

As soon as the rain came to an end, Chloe mobilized her troops.

"Alright Max, go behind the treeline there and try to get a good spot where you can see both the courtyard and the entrance. Try to stay hidden too, every safety measure will be good with this Spirit shit." The blue-haired girl pointed to a spot in the trees. "If anything goes wrong, you rewind and warn us. If **everything** goes wrong, you use the photo."

_Oh, she's loving this. Getting all bossy, she must be imagining she's deploying her units to war. Kinda hot._

_What am I saying. She's hot anyways._

"Roger." Max replied, with a Cheshire cat's smile only she knew the reason of.

"Kate, you stay behind me and just focus on that mirage thing. Max took a picture of Tobanga?" Kate nodded, "Good, focus on it, whatever happens." Chloe took the stepladder and the other supplies and marched towards the totem, "Now let's go, the eclipse's goin' to happen anytime now, and people will be focused on it."

"Sure thing. I can't really hold it much, but I'll try my best." Kate responded with a small smile.

They all got to positions, Max hid behind one of the bigger trees while still getting a good line of sight, and the other two were nowhere to be seen. From the outside, because Kate was working her magic as Chloe stepped on the ladder and started to mess with the totem.

"Max! Can you see me?" She shouted, but just enough to be heard by the brunette. Getting a 'no' in response, she turned to the blonde, "Nice work, Katie."

Soon enough, the world began to darken, that fiery disk in the sky now with a blackened corner. Still, not yet enough to make people notice, so Max sprung into act.

_Hm, maybe I should give them a little push_

**Max:** Hey! Come to Blackwell's entrance!  
**Max:** There's this weird eclipse going on!

She sent to all her contacts in the college, and just like that she saw people poking their heads out of their windows and them rushing out of the building in the direction of the main entrance, so as to get a better view.

* * *

Getting the cue, Chloe cut open a cigarette and placed its contents in her hand. She made a neat little ball with it and then put it in a small opening of the bird's beak.

_This should signify the bounding between me and the Thunderbird... or whatever. See mom? Even gods want to get high._

"This better work..." She mumbled. But nothing happened, "Uhm... Maybe it's not he-"

_**VRRRRR** _

"Eek!" She let out a squeal, then turned behind her.

_Thanks God Kate is concentrated. That would totally blow my reputation_

With a woody grinding sound, an opening with about the size of a golf hole appeared on top of the totem and the wings went down one of its notches.

_Bingo!_

_Now for the water representing the beginning of life._

Chloe opened the lid of the bottle and poured all of the water inside the wooden object.

_Theeere you go, refreshing huh? You must be so thirsty after all of these centuries. Millennia? Eons? How old **are** these Spirits?_

_**VRRRRR** _

The wings came down to the "Man" notch. The punk took out the knife and pricked her finger with it, dropping blood in the opening.

"Ouch" _Pleasedon'tneedmorePleasedon'tneedmorePleasedon'tn-_

__

_**VRRRRR** _

_Phew. Now with soil to be the foundation of it all, as well as plants, seeds and all this shit._

She then proceeded to pour the bag full of seeds, acorns and dirt into the hole.

_Aaaaalright, nice and easy. Eat up eat up_

_**VRRRRR** _

The wings came down another notch.

_Okay, now for-_

But her thoughts were disrupted by muffled gunshots and a sudden ache in her leg and back. Accompanied by a falling Kate, her world spiralling down... Her vision failing... A few drops of red... And the disgusting sound of two innocent bodies hitting wet ground.

* * *

_What was that... sound?_

"Hope it means it's working... Whatever it is Chloe is doing. Also, it'll be good to keep in mind Kate can't block sounds." Max mumbled from her hiding spot, paying attention in both the stillness of the courtyard and the surprised sounds coming from Blackwell's entrance.

_Wowsers... they're really going at it. However, nothing less could be expected from this freaky unscheduled eclipse._

_Were people so fascinated before? I guess I didn't notice with everything else happening..._

A little lost in her thoughts, she didn't quite notice when a man came rushing out of the blue, a small device in his left hand, like a pendulum.

_Hm? Who is- Wait, is that Sean Prescott? What is he-_

"How dare you." The middle-aged man grimly said, taking a clearly expensive gun out of his suit, complete with silencer. He unloaded all of the rounds in the direction of the totem.

"CHLOE!" _Wha- What the fuck?! In broad daylight? Why is he- How-_

"Hm?" Sean turned to the sound. 

"Shit." 

**[@]**

_**VRRRRR** _

_Fuck! Shit! fuck! Not much time. Okay, what do I do? We might not have another chance, I **have** to stop him_

_Think, Max, think..._

_**...Oh. Oh! That... That would be actually incredible. Or... Or making something go faster?** _

The brunette looked down at some scattered rocks in the ground and a lightbulb went on in her head.

_It's... all I have_

"Come on, don't fail me now" The girl took a medium sized rock in her hand and waited for Sean's arrival. She willed it to go "fast" and in fact a small hue of blue could be seem around the rock's surface. Just like their experiment with the shoe, she couldn't quite understand why, or how, but she **felt** it. Like an instinct. Little by little, the brunette began to discern between those different fluctuations in time, and this realization sort of freaked her out.

As soon as the man came in sight, she threw the rock as hard as she could. And... it worked! The rock flew so fast it seemed to have teleported to the other side. Too bad it missed her target, instead exploding in the wall. Or maybe not that bad?

"I suck." 

_Hold on. I can't possibly throw something that hard. Why is it different than the slow-thing? Wasn't it supposed to "maintain it's original energy" or something? If this thing hits him he's definitely going to die._

_...Don't know how to feel about that. But still I don't want to be a murderer_

**[@]**

"Let's get a smaller one this time." She took a smaller rock and repeated everything. Even the missing-the-target part. "Come on, it can't be that hard."

**[@]**

It seems it is.

**[@]**

Another try, another miss.

**[@]**

Nope.

**[@]**

"'Know what?" This time she angrily grabbed a handful of tiny little gravel.

She'd memorized Sean's cue by now, and threw all of the gravel in his general direction. Just when he drew out the gun an array of gravel flew lika a flash in his direction. The man didn't have time to react at all, nor space, and got hit by dozens of pebbles. It felt like dozens of really hard punches, tough, and he couldn't do anything except fall limply to the side, unconscious.

Max ran to him and first picked his gun from the ground.

_You can't ever be too safe_

Then she tested his pulse. Okay, as far as she could tell, apart from a few really nasty bruises. Finally, she turned to the two other girls.

"Max? What is... this?" Kate asked, her mirages broken thogether with her concentration. To which Max responded with only a thumbs up, out of breath.

_I really need to start working out_

"I guess that's short for 'explain later, end this quickly', Katie. Now for the last thing, the breath of creation." Chloe took a deep breath and blew it on the opening.

_**VRRRRR** _

The wings came down the last notch and clicking sounds could be heard. The wooden pieces of the totem began spinning, and twisting, and in general moving, opening more and more. Crimson rays of light started to shine and swirling sounds to be produced.

"Guys?" Kate looked at both of them.

"Eehh... Buckle up?" Chloe offered.

**SWOOOSH**

The red lighting grew more and more until it encompassed all four of them. A huge windy sound was then followed by thunderclaps and this primal, loud bird call. And just like that, all of them disappeard, as well as the Tobanga.

And one last figure watched it, stupefied, from inside the building.

"Oh... My... God..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 11! Woo... hoo?
> 
> ...
> 
> Is anybody still here?
> 
> ...
> 
> Uuhh I'm sorry? I don't really have anything to say, it's been more than a friggin' month. Things went bad, things went good. So let's talk about the good, yeah? Some of those weeks I used to study and do the first major tests I had aaaand... ranged 9 ~ 10 in all of them. Boom nailed it.
> 
> Also, I moved to a better place wher- What? No, I didn't die, silly! Even though I gave reasons for you to think that. A new home. More affordable **and** better located. Dunno how I got this, someone must have died horribly here or something. Maybe it's an old indian cemetery. Oh well.
> 
> Things are hectic and I still got some stressful papers to do, but I'll really try to step up the pace. Thanks for reading, and feel free to comment down below! See you soon
> 
> ish.


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